Summary

War memorial. Erected in 1921. Additional inscription added after World War II.

Description

The memorial, set on a grassed area, consists of a York stone obelisk, with a total height of 2.3m, set on a square base and pedestal with scotia moulding. The northern face of the obelisk has a wreath in high relief and below it the inscription reads: ‘ERECTED/ TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOUR OF/ THE MEN OF/ GRENDON UNDERWOOD/ WHO SERVED THEIR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918./ IN MEMORIUM.’ Below are the names of the three fallen with their rank and regiment or ship. Beneath this is the inscription ‘LEST WE FORGET’. The eastern face lists those wounded or taken prisoner and the western face those who also served. The southern face has the inscription: ‘ALSO/ IN GRATEFUL/ REMEMBRANCE OF/ ALL FROM THIS/ PARISH/ WHO SERVED/ IN THE/ SECOND WORLD/ WAR/ 1939 – 1945’ followed by the names.

The memorial is surrounded by iron chains linking four timber posts. The adjoining memorial bench is not of special interest.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 11 January 2017.

History

The war memorial was unveiled by Major General Sir Robert Fanshawe on 16 May 1921 on land on the south side of Main Street, donated to the parish by Miss Adeline Piggott of The Manor. The memorial was paid for by subscription of members of the village and the stone masons were W Wise and Son of Winslow. An unusual feature of the memorial was that it bore the names not only of the fallen, but all who served during the WWI, including those wounded or captured. The names of those who served during WWII were added to the rear of the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

The Grendon Underwood War Memorial, erected on the main street of the village in 1921, is designated at Grade II for the following reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this Buckinghamshire village;
* Architectural interest: for the relatively unusual inclusion of all those from the village that served in the armed forces during World War I rather than the more usual practice of only recording the names of the fallen.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26676290

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

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Old House Care and Repair