Summary

First World War memorial,1920, by W E Ashley with further names added after the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: limestone cross with Hopton Wood limestone panels.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located in the churchyard of St. Bartholomew’s Church. It consists of a Patonce cross-head set upon a tapering octagonal shaft with moulded collar and base. The shaft rises from a square plinth with a moulded top and bottom.

A recessed panel is set into one face and is inscribed with: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ (NAMES)/ OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ TRUE LOVE BY LIFE, TRUE BY DEATH IS TRIED/ LIVE THOU FOR ENGLAND, FOR ENGLAND WE DIED.

Above this at the top of the plinth in raised lettering is: THEIR DUTY DONE.

A small Second World War panel is fixed to another face and reads: 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

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 Great Stukeley 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 designed by W E Ashley who was responsible for a number of memorials in the Huntingdon area including Spaldwick and Woodhurst. It was unveiled in 1920 by Howard Coote of Stukeley Hall, Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire. His son had fought in the 4th Gloucestershire Regiment in the Great War and had returned. The memorial commemorates 17 local servicemen who fell in the First World War.

Two further names were added following the Second World War to commemorate those who fell in that conflict.

In 2008 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Great Stukeley War Memorial 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an ornate and striking limestone cross with carved decorative details;
* Group value: with the Church of St Bartholomew (Grade II*) and 23 Church Road (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478096

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
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  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living