Summary

First World War memorial, 1920.

Description

The memorial stands in front of Alderman’s Green Free Methodists’ church, overlooking the main road. It comprises a tall dark stone monument with a cross fleury rising from a tapering octagonal shaft. That stands on the pedimented cornice of a tall pedestal, square on plan. The pedestal stands on a two-stepped base.

The corners of the pedestal are carved in the form of columns whose abacus support the pedimented cornice of the pedestal. Each side of the pedestal bears a red stone plaque. The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face reads THIS MONUMENT/ IS ERECTED/ BY THE ALDERMAN’S GREEN/ SOLDIERS & SAILORS SOCIETY/ IN HONOUR OF THOSE/ WHO SERVED IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ (11 NAMES). The plaques to the remaining three sides all begin THE MEN WHO SERVED and record the names of those servicemen who returned.

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, 25 July 2017.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. One such memorial was raised at Alderman’s Green. This memorial was commissioned by the Alderman’s Green Soldiers and Sailors Society, to commemorate the First World War service of 115 local men, 11 of whom died. It was unveiled by the Mayor, WH Grant, in November 1920.

Reasons for Listing

Alderman’s Green War Memorial, which stands in front of the Alderman’s Green Free Methodists’ church, 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 First World War;
* Architectural interest: a well-executed memorial combining elements from the medieval and Classical styles;
* Degree of survival: unusually the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26678054

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, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide