Summary
First World War memorial in the churchyard of the parish church of St Andrew, Langar, unveiled in 1920.
Description
A First World War Memorial, built 1920.
MATERIALS: Doulting stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in the churchyard of the Grade I listed parish church of St Andrew, to the south of the chancel. The memorial has a base of three steps surmounted by a square plinth supporting a chamfered shaft and a cross with a circular nimbus.
The plinth is inscribed on its east and west faces. The main inscription on the east face reads: TO THE HONOURED / MEMORY OF THOSE WHO / GAVE THEIR LIVES IN / THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918. The names of 16 men who lost their lives are recorded, along with the quotation: “GLORY HONOUR AND PEACE”. On its west face a later inscription reads: ALSO IN MEMORY OF / THOSE WHO DIED / 1939-45 / (NAMES) / THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO DEATH.
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 750,000 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. One such memorial was raised at Langar-cum-Barnstone as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 16 parishioners who lost their lives in the First World War, with a later addition of three names commemorating those whose lives were lost in the Second World War.
The memorial was unveiled on 15 May 1920 and cost £75. It was designed by architect George M Silley whose work included the (demolished) church of St Paul in Harringay.
Reasons for Listing
The war memorial situated in the churchyard of the parish church of St Andrew, Langar, dating to 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 sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a simple but well-crafted memorial illustrating the work of George M Silley.
Group Value:
* with the Grade I listed Church of St Andrew, Grade II listed Langar Hall, and the Grade II boundary walls and funerary monuments around the churchyard.
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
Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)