Summary
War memorial, erected in 1920.
Description
War memorial, erected in 1920.
MATERIALS: carved from stone, with lead lettering inscriptions.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a two-stepped stone base, surmounted by a polished granite pedestal, rising to the tapered rectangular shaft and cross. The dado of the pedestal has recessed panels to each side. The south and north panel incorporate a wreath and the year 1914 and 1919, respectively, carved in relief. The panel to the east gives the names of the 26 men of the parish who died during the First World War. Beneath has been added ‘1939-1945’ and the names of the five men who died during the Second World War. The west panel is blind. Around the top of the pedestal is the inscription:
THESE DIED / FOR GOD / KING AND / COUNTRY
To the east and west side of the memorial is a stone vase, and the whole stands on a brick platform with brick copings and flagstones.
History
The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War which 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. The memorials, therefore, provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
Long Stratton War Memorial, situated to the front (east) of the village hall and opposite the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I), was erected to commemorate 26 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Designed by Mr Dunham and built by Mr AW Perfitt the memorial was unveiled on 10 November 1920 by Mrs Owen and dedicated by the Rector of Swanton Morley, the Reverend GD Barry.
The names of five parishioners who died during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Long Stratton War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a war memorial cross with a well-realised and accomplished design using good quality stonework.
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.
Group value
* with several listed buildings including the Church of St Mary (Grade I), Long Stratton Church School (Grade II) and Griffin Cottage (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
England's Post-War Listed Buildings
Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
For the Record
[(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)