Summary
First World War memorial, 1920, with later addition for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, 1920, with later addition for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Rubislaw granite
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands within the churchyard, close to the north entrance to the church. It is carved from polished Rubislaw granite and takes the form of a square-sectioned obelisk, a plinth with chamfered top and a single-stepped square base. The front (south) face of the plinth carries the main dedicatory inscription which reads: ERECTED BY THE/ PARISHIONERS OF/ AB KETTLEBY IN MEMORY OF/ (NAMES).
The base beneath is inscribed: WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT EUROPEAN WAR/ 1914 – 1919; and the inscription to the fallen from the Second World War, also on the plinth, reads: ALSO/ IN REMEMBRANCE OF/ (NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY IN THE SECOND GREAT WAR/ 1939 – 1945.
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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised in the churchyard at Ab Kettleby as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by eight local men during the First World War. It was designed and supplied by Thomas Drake, a monumental mason from Melton Mowbray and cost a little over £70. The dedication service, which was reported in the Melton Mowbray Times (20 February 1920), took place on 12 February 1920 attended by the Reverend Canon Blakeney, the Reverend EP Dondney who was vicar of Ab Kettleby and the curate at Melton, the Reverend H Theodore Mogridge.
Following the Second World War a further plaque was added to commemorate the three servicemen from the parish who died during this conflict.
Reasons for Listing
Ab Kettleby War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* its simple design, in the form of an obelisk, is fitting for its purpose as a commemorative structure.
Group value:
* it groups well with the Church of St James (Grade II*), two headstones (Grade II) and the nearby scheduled moated site.
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
London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)