Binstead and Havenstreet War Shrine, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight

Description

632/0/10036 NEWNHAM ROAD
22-SEP-09 Binstead and Havenstreet War Shrine

War shrine. Erected in 1917-18 in Arts and Crafts manner, architect not at present known. It was built for John and Violet Willis Fleming to commemorate their son Richard Willis Fleming. Lead inscriptions panels of 1920-21 are thought to have been designed by Eric Gill and were certainly executed by Lawrence Turner of the Arts Workers' Guild. Restored in 1962.

MATERIALS: Roughly dressed Binstead stone from quarries owned by the family with stone roof salvaged from the roof of the old boathouse at Binstead Hard and ornamental ironwork.

PLAN: Single storey rectangular building approached up three steps with curved centre. The division into three compartments, the larger containing an altar, the side ones prayer rooms, was specified by the client. It is surrounded by a reactnagular walled enclosure.

EXTERIOR: Stone walls with hipped stone slab roof with end ornamental iron cross shaped finials. The west or rear elevation is an unbroken stone wall and the ends have only small semi-circular window openings with leaded lights. The principal east front is approached up three limestone steps curved in the centre. A wooden fascia is inscribed "BUT THEY ARE IN PEACE FOR GOD PROVED THEM AND FOUND THEM WORTHY FOR HIMSELF". Over the central compartment is an inscription to Richard Willis Fleming. The central compartment is open-fronted with wrought iron double gates. These were originally half-height only with curved tops but were later extended to full height. The end compartments have studded oak plank doors. It is surrounded by a rectangular stone walled enclosure with square stone gatepiers with pyramidal caps.

INTERIOR: The central compartment has round-headed arches with iron grilles in the partition walls and contains a central wooden altar with carved blank arches, A wooden cross is fixed to the wall above. On each side of the altar are cast lead panels with decorative borders, one each for the parishes of Binstead and Havenstreet, inscribed "PRAY FOR THE SOULS OF THESE GALLANT MEN". The names include 39 local people who died in the Great War, including those of four members of one extended family and members of the local regiment (The Isle of Wight Rifles) who died in actions such as Gallipoli and Gaza. Some men served with the Canadian forces. There is also a memorial to a USAAF Airman, Major E Leach, who died nearby during the Second World War. A number of memorial ledger stones are to members of the Willis Fleming family whose ashes have been interred there since 1967.

HISTORY: The Binstead and Havenstreet War Shrine (also known as the Willis Fleming Shrine) was erected in 1917-18, during the war, as a memorial to Second Lieutenant Richard Willis Fleming who was killed in Egypt on 4 August 1916 and buried at the Kantara War Cemetery. It also commemorates the other war dead of the parishes of Binstead and Havenstreet. Richard Willis Fleming was the second son of John and Violet Willis Fleming of Binstead House, Binstead, Ryde, who erected the memorial. The family intended to replace the woooden cross in the shrine by one in stone designed by Eric Gill but this was never implemented. The original rolls of honour were replaced in 1920-21 by cast lead panels at a cost of £261. Although the design has been attributed to Eric Gill, estate accounts show these were executed by Lawrence Turner (1864-1957) a prominent member of the Art Worker's Guild, who became the Guild's Master in 1922. He was closely associated with George Jack and carved William Morris's gravestone to Jack's design. Lawrence Turner was also the brother of the Arts and Crafts architect H Thackeray Turner (1864-1937). In 1962 the war shrine was restored by John Willis Fleming. The family's major landholding was in Hampshire and an identical war shrine was also erected in North Stoneham, Hampshire.

SOURCES:
Lloyd and Pevsner "The Buildings of England. Isle of Wight." 2006. p159.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
The Binstead and Havenstreet War Shrine (also known as the Willis Fleming Shrine) is designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:
* It is a rare and durable example of a war shrine, erected during the First World War, rather than a war memorial erected after the war;
* It is of special architectural merit as a well designed Art and Crafts style structure built out of good quality materials, including local Binstead stone, stone slates and ornamental ironwork, to the principles of George Jack of the Civic Arts Association and has an unusual three compartment plan specified by the client;
* It survives almot intact, apart from modifications to the roof finials and double gates;
* The design of the cast lead panels of 1920-21 inscribing the names of The Fallen, replacing the original rolls of honour, has been attributed to Eric Gill but was certainly executed by Lawrence Turner, a prominent member of the Art Workers' Guild;
* This war shrine, and the identical one erected at North Stoneham Hampshire, are thought to be the last structures ever to be constructed in Binstead stone.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 7 December 2016.

Reasons for Listing

The Binstead and Havenstreet War Shrine is designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:
* It is a rare and durable example of a war shrine, erected during the First World War, rather than a war memorial erected after the war;
* It is of special architectural merit as a well designed Arts and Crafts structure built of good quality materials, including local Binstead Stone, stone slates and ornamental ironwork, to the principles of George Jack of the Civic Arts Association and has an unusual three compartment plan specified by the client;
* It survives almost intact, apart from modifications to the roof finials and double gates;
* The cast lead panels of 1920-21 inscribing the names of The Fallen, replacing the original rolls of honour, are thought to have been designed by Eric Gill and were certainly executed by Lawrence Turner, a prominent member of the Art Worker's Guild;
* This War Shrine, and the identical one erected at North Stoneham Hampshire, are thought to be the last structures ever to be constructed in Binstead stone.

External Links

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