Summary

First World War memorial.

Description

MATERIALS: limestone.

DESCRIPTION: the approximately 5m high war memorial stands by the roadside to the immediate west of the Grade I-listed Church of St Lawrence. It comprises an octagonal tapering shaft with a carved collar and a gabled crucifix with dedication INRI. It is set on a square plinth and a two-stepped base. The western face of the plinth carries the inscription in incised white painted letters 1914 – 1918/ GOD MAKE US WORTHY OF THEIR SACRIFICE.

Underneath the inscription a stone, inserted in 2014, carries the names of those from the village who were killed with the inscription 1914 - WE WILL REMEMBER THEM - 2014/ (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, 5 June 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 at Stratford-sub-Castle shortly after the end of the First World War as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the nine members of the local community who lost their lives during the war.

It was re-dedicated in August 2014 when the names of the fallen from the village were engraved on stone and set into the base of the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Stratford-sub-Castle 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 local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the First World War;
* Architectural interest: a well-executed limestone Calvary cross;
* Group value: with the adjacent Grade I-listed Church of St Lawrence.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478273

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

• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)