Summary
A First World War memorial, erected in 1920.
Description
A First World War memorial, erected in 1920.
DESCRIPTION
The memorial stands at the entrance to the churchyard of the Church of All Saints (Grade I) and is carved from granite. It comprises a square, single-stepped base, a trapezoidal plinth carved in the form of boulders and a short shaft which tapers in rectangular section to a Celtic wheel-head cross. Both the shaft and cross head have interlace ornamentation to the front (north-west) face. A bronze plaque fixed to the front face of the plinth bears the dedicatory inscription which reads:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN PERPETUAL MEMORY OF THE/ OFFICERS AND MEN FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919/ (NAMES).
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised within the churchyard of the Church of All Saints in Theddingworth. It cost around £200, funded by public subscription. The bronze inscription tablet was given by Major Sutherland Wilson. The memorial was unveiled on 21 July 1920 by Captain Hubert de Trafford (of the Dragoon Guards) and it honours 12 local men who died during the conflict.
Reasons for Listing
Theddingworth War Memorial, erected in 1920, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifices it made in the First World War.
Architectural interest:
* it is a well-detailed war memorial in the form of a wheel-head Celtic cross with interlaced decoration.
Group value:
* with the Church of All Saints (Grade I), Home Farmhouse (Grade II) and the Barns at Home Farm (Grade II).
External Links
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
Recommended Books
Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version