Summary

First World War memorial, created by Mr Cox of Keinton Mandeville and unveiled on 24 April 1920, with further names added after the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: limestone cross, iron railings.

DESCRIPTION: Henton War Memorial consists of a Latin cross surmounting a tapered column set on a hexagonal plinth. The plinth carries the inscription: THE STONE WAS ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF HENTON WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ (NAMES)/ THEIR NAMES LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.

The memorial is set upon a three-stepped base and stands in a small paved area enclosed by iron railings.

A separate inscription panel fitted to the base commemorates the fallen of the Second World War.

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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Henton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was created by Mr Cox of Keinton Mandeville and was dedicated by the Bishop of Taunton at a ceremony on 24 April 1920.

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added on a separate inscription panel fitted to the base to commemorate the fallen of that conflict.

In 2013 the memorial was cleaned and conserved with a grant from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Henton War Memorial, unveiled on 24 April 1920, 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 sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet dignified limestone Latin cross.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477715

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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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)