Summary
A First World War memorial, unveiled 1919, altered after the Second World War.
Description
A First World War memorial, unveiled 1919, altered after the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Cornish granite.
DESCRIPTION: The memorial is located opposite the entrance to the Church of St Mary, at the junction of Boot Street and Bealings Lane on a raised and paved area.
The memorial comprises a wheel cross in the Celtic style on a trapezoidal plinth and rectangular base. The main inscription in leaded letters on the front of the plinth reads: IN HONOURED MEMORY / OF THE GREAT BEALINGS MEN / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1918 followed by the names of the 14 men who fell, and their regiments.
Beneath this is inscribed: 1939, the name and regiment of the one who fell, and 1945. On the front face of the rectangular base is the inscription "LEST WE FORGET".
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 at Great Bealings as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 14 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The memorial was sponsored by Colonel Lord Henniker and dedicated by the Revered Canon C D Lawrence on 28 December 1919.
The name of one parishioner who fell during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Great Bealings 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a fine example of a granite wheel-cross in the Celtic style.
Group value:
* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary.
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)
Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
For the Record
Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)