Summary

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

Description

The memorial stands in the grassy court in front of the Church of St Michael (Grade II-listed) with, to the side, the Stables, Loft and Carriage shed to Church of St Michael (also Grade II). The memorial takes the form of a tall wooden Calvary with a hood, rising from a stone cairn representing the rocky hill. The figure of Christ crucified is to the front, facing the road to Eshe village. The cairn stands on a stone step.

A granite plaque inset into the front of the cairn records the principal dedicatory inscription CRUCIFIED JESUS/ HAVE MERCY ON THE SOULS/ OF (20 NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. Below on the front face of the stepped base a small plaque reads 1939 – 1945/ (2 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, 7 February 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, 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 outside the Roman Catholic Church of St Michael as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 20 members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War. The names of two men who died in the Second World War were added after that conflict. The Calvary was leaning to one side but this was corrected by remedial works in 2013.

Reasons for Listing

Eshe Laude War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Michael, 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 imposing Calvary Cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Michael and Stables, Loft and Carriage shed to Church of St Michael (both Grade II-listed).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477741

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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  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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