Summary
War memorial, erected in 1921.
Description
War memorial, erected in 1921.
MATERIALS: carved from granite, with the inscription in lead lettering.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a roughly-hewn tapered plinth with rounded upper corners, surmounted by a roughly-hewn Latin cross. The inscription on the raised panel to the north-west face of the plinth reads:
IN EVERLASTING MEMORY / OF (NAMES) / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 / THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial is enclosed by hoop-headed wrought iron railings, with a gate to the north-west side.
History
The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War 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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
Sewstern War Memorial commemorates four parishioners who died in the First World War. It was unveiled on Saturday 17 December 1921 by Colonel Foljambe of Buckminster and dedicated by Reverend FBA Williams, Rural Dean, of Wymondham.
The memorial was supplied by Mr T Drake of Melton Mowbray and the railings by Mr T Skins of Buckminster.
Reasons for Listing
Sewstern War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* a well-realised design in the form of a Latin cross.
Historic interest:
* as a poignant witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the First World War.
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
England's Post-War Listed Buildings
For the Record
Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)