Summary
A First World War Memorial unveiled c.1919, with additions made after the Second World War and the Korean War.
Description
A First World War Memorial unveiled c.1919, with additions made after the Second World War and the Korean War.
MATERIALS and PLAN: the memorial is square on plan and is constructed from roughly-hewn Cornish granite with leaded lettering.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands within the churchyard approximately 20m north of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wangford (Grade I) and is set within a small, square enclosure bounded by low, stone edging. The memorial is approximately 3m tall and comprises a Celtic wheel-cross with a tapering shaft set on a trapezoidal plinth with a single-stepped square base.
The inscription within a recessed panel on the west face of the plinth reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD,/ IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF WANGFORD AND HENHAM, WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR. 1914–1918/ (24 NAMES)/ 1939–1945/ “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”/ (4 NAMES)/ (1 NAME), KOREA, 1951
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 Wangford as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 14 September 1919.
The names of the parishioners who died during the Second World War and the Korean War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Wangford and Henham 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 well-executed granite wheel cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Peter and St Paul (Grade I).
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
Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
For the Record
Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy