Summary
A First World War Memorial of around 1920.
Description
A First World War memorial of around 1920.
MATERIALS: the memorial is made of granite.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is a 1.6m tall rough-hewn plain Celtic cross on a tapered four sided plinth. The whole stands on a square base. An inscription on the plinth reads: IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ BOTH THOSE WHO FOUGHT/ AND THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR GOD, FOR ENGLAND AND FOR FREEDOM/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919.
There is a newer inscription on a plaque attached to the base which reads: IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF THIS PARISH, BOTH/ THOSE WHO FOUGHT, AND/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR GOD, FOR ENGLAND/ AND FOR FREEDOM./ RE-SITED ON THE 1ST OCTOBER 2005/ TO THE WEST MARSH COMMUNITY CENTRE.
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 in Little Coates 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 cross was donated by Captain Oscar Dixon. It was originally sited at Littlecoates School in Harlow Street, then moved to the corner of Harlow Street and Gilbey Road. In 2005 the memorial was re-located to the West Marsh Community Centre where a new memorial garden was built around it.
Reasons for Listing
Little Coates War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural Interest:
* as a good example of a stone Celtic cross.
Historic Interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.
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
County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
For the Record
Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas