Summary

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

Description

The memorial stands against the churchyard wall of the Church of St Mary (Grade II*-listed), facing the main road through the village. Just under 3m tall, it consists of a stone obelisk rising from a pedimented, tapering, square plinth. The plinth stands on a square, three-stepped base.

The front face of the pediment is decorated with a banner, carved in low relief. The banner carries the incised inscription THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918. A marble plaque on the front face of the plinth bears an inscription that reads THIS MONUMENT/ WAS ERECTED/ IN EVERLASTING MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS/ PARISH WHO LAID DOWN/ THEIR LIVES IN THE/ SERVICE OF THEIR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ +/ “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”.

Twenty names of those who fell in the First World War are listed on marble plaques on the flanking sides of the plinth. The inscriptions are in metal letters attached to the plaques. In addition, a brass plaque on the front face of the middle step of the base reads 1939 – 1945/ (3 NAMES).

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, 16 December 2016.

History

The memorial was raised after the end of the First World War, commemorating those from Collingbourne Kingston who lost their lives during the conflict. After the Second World War a brass plaque was added to the base, commemorating those who fell in that war. Originally the memorial stood on Chapel Lane close to the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, where it appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:2500 County Series map published in 1975. At a later date it was moved to its current position near the parish church. The Chapel was closed in 1985.

Reasons for Listing

Collingbourne Kingston War Memorial, situated beside the gate to the Church of St Mary, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic Interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Group Value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary and Church Cottage (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677494

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

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)