Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

DESCRIPTION: Fishtoft War Memorial stands within a fenced area to the south-east of Fishtoft Playing Fields, adjacent to Fishtoft Road. It is constructed of local Clipsham stone in the form of a spired obelisk with a cross on the top, similar in design to war memorials by the same masons at Stickney and East Kirkby.

The memorial stands on a concrete platform and has an octagonal two-stepped base, with an additional prism-shaped stone set against the top step on the southern side for the Second World War inscription. Rising from the base is a four-sided plinth with canted top, on which stands the obelisk. The obelisk, square on plan, has octagonal columns against the four corners, each with an elaborate foliate capital, supporting a moulded arch forming a blind arcade to each side of the plinth. Rising from this is a tapering four-sided spire, topped by a foliate capital and a plain Latin cross.

The memorial includes the names of both those who died in the First World War, inscribed in black lettering on the southern face of the obelisk, and also those who served and returned, inscribed on the remaining three faces.

(south face) TO THE GLORY OF GOD &/ IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THOSE WHO LAID/ DOWN THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ (11 NAMES)/ WOUNDED AND DISABLED/ (6 NAMES)/ “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS/ FRIENDS”.

On the other three faces the inscription reads IN/ HONOUR OF THOSE WHO/ ALSO SERVED (NAMES). The Second World War inscription reads ALSO TO THOSE WHO MADE THE/ SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE SECOND/ WORLD WAR 1939-1945/ (7 NAMES).

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: A wrought iron basket* is attached to the base on the eastern side of the memorial.

* Pursuant to S.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

History

Fishtoft War Memorial was unveiled on 5 June 1920. It was constructed by the local memorial masons Messrs Browning and Sons of Spilsby, at a cost of c£250. The unveiling was attended by relatives, parishioners, local dignitaries, ex-servicemen and local clergy. An address was given by Major OB Giles. The memorial commemorates not only those 11 local servicemen who died during the First World War but also those six who were wounded and disabled, and the surviving 67 who served.

An additional stone was added to the memorial to include the names of those six men and one woman who died during the Second World War. In 2010 Fishtoft Parish council funded repair work of £5,500, which included re-lettering, cleaning and minor repairs to cracks in the stonework.

Reasons for Listing

Fishtoft War Memorial, which stands on Fishtoft Road, 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;
* Architectural interest: a tall and ornate memorial cross.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677927

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

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  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
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  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
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  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)