Summary

A roughcast concrete war memorial clock tower, unveiled in 1931, designed by Henry Thomas and sited in a prominent position at the edge of the town's medieval amphitheatre.

Description

A roughcast concrete war memorial clock tower, unveiled in 1931, designed by Henry Thomas and sited in a prominent position at the edge of the town's medieval amphitheatre.

The square-plan memorial consists of a three-stepped base, upon which stands a plinth with moulded cornice. From this rises the plain square shaft of the clock tower terminating in a cornice adjoining the upper-stage which has a clock face within simple moulding on each of the four sides. It has a squat arching spirelet with a lucarne on each side, and a weather vane. On the plinth are tablets inscribed with lead lettering; on the north is 'THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED IN GRATEFUL / MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FROM THIS TOWN / GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918', followed by a roll of honour. On the east and west sides of the plinth the tablets are inscribed 'IN MEMORIAM / WORLD WAR 1939-1945', with the names of the fallen. There is a low, decorative iron fence around the base.

It is sited in a prominent position at the edge of the town's medieval amphitheatre and has group value with neighbouring listed buildings.

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, 5 October 2017.

History

The great age of memorial building following the First World War gave communities an opportunity to honour and mark their fallen. The clock tower memorial at St Just-in-Penwith is a relatively late erection in the national context, as it was not dedicated until 1931, which may have been due to the time taken raising funds to pay for it.

Reasons for Listing

The St Just-in-Penwith War Memorial Clock Tower is designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: it is poignant reminder of the impact of the First and Second World Wars on the community and commemorates its fallen servicemen
* Architectural interest: a modest yet elegant tower with well-executed, simple detailing, such as its moulded spirelet roof
* Group value: it has visual group value with the neighbouring listed buildings and the scheduled medieval amphitheatre, and makes a positive and important contribution to the street scene

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26675412

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]