Summary

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

Description

The stone memorial, c2.5m tall, stands on the green in Fir Tree. It takes the form of a drinking fountain. An elaborate pinnacled urn raised on a pedestal, square on plan, stands at the top. There are shallow hoods to each face of the pedestal, from which drinking water once issued. A small basin projects below each hood, supported by ornamented corbels. The plinth below, square on plan, stands on a two-stepped stone base. The plinth’s edges are chamfered with stops at the top of each curve, defining blind panels on each side.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the plinth’s front face reads ERECTED TO/ THE MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ THE VILLAGE/ OF FIR TREE/ WHO MADE/ THE SUPREME/ SACRIFICE IN/ WAR/ “THEY LIVE”. The First World War names are recorded to either side. The Second World War dedication on the rear face reads 1939 – 1945/ (3 NAMES)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR/ EVERMORE.

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

According to a local newspaper report, the residents of Fir Tree planned to have a war memorial in place by July 1920. The drinking fountain was erected beside the road junction at the south-east end of the village, in commemoration of 12 local servicemen who died in the conflict. That plot of land had been donated by Mr T Hird. At a later date the memorial was moved c200m metres north-west, to the green alongside the School House. Following the Second World War the names of three men who died in that conflict were added. It may have been at this time that the principal dedicatory inscription was re-cut: a photograph dating to the 1930s shows the original First World War inscription.

Reasons for Listing

Fir Tree War Memorial Drinking Fountain, which stands on the village green, 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: an ornamental drinking fountain designed to commemorate the community’s fallen servicemen.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477755

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

• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)