Summary

First World War memorial, 1923, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The war memorial stands in a grassed area encircled with mature trees to the north-east of the churchyard and opposite the Memorial Hall. Unusually it comprises a plain oak cross, raised on an octagonal brick base. A stone collar encircles the foot of the cross. The base has a stone coping and stands on two brick steps. The names of the commemorated servicemen are carved on a stone plaque on the front of the base and on the coping stones.

Inscribed on the stone coping in front of the cross is IN/ REMEMBRANCE/ 1914 – 1918 and on the back SEEING THAT WE ARE/ COMPASSED ABOUT BY/ SO GREAT A CLOUD OF/ WITNESSES LET US RUN/ WITH PATIENCE THE RACE/ THAT IS SET BEFORE US.

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, 6 December 2016.

History

The war memorial was erected in remembrance of the men of the parish who fell in the First World War. The design was by Robert Bostock, who also donated the land on which the memorial stands. It was unveiled by General Portal in November 1923, following the unveiling of a tablet in the nearby Memorial Hall which names the 62 men who served. The names of those who died fighting during the Second World War were added at a later date.

The lead capping on the wooden cross was replaced in 2011, funded by the War Memorials Trust. The memorial was re-painted and its lettering re-cut and painted in 2014, following local fundraising.

Reasons for Listing

Sparsholt War Memorial, on Woodman Lane, 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 sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Group Value: with the Church of St Stephen (Grade II*-listed).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677368

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)