Summary

First and Second World War memorial. Erected around 1920 with a further inscription added after the Second World War.

Description

First and Second World War memorial. Erected in around 1920 with a further inscription added after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: rough-hewn granite.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands in the churchyard of St John the Baptist Church. It is situated near the west entrance and tower of the Grade II*-listed church, which is of medieval foundation but much remodelled. The memorial comprises a Celtic cross with a tapering shaft set upon a trapezoidal plinth and rectangular base. It is approximately 4m high. A longsword is carved in raised relief on the cross; the crossguard of the sword matching where the cross shaft and crossarm meet. The front of the plinth has a flat recess, upon which is the inscription: ERECTED TO THE MEMORY/ OF/ THOSE OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE WARS/ 1914-1918/ 1939-1945. There are no names on the memorial.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw a huge wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also 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 erected in about 1920 in the churchyard of St John the Baptist Church to commemorate the residents of Alresford who died during the conflict. A further inscription was added to the memorial following the Second World War to commemorate those who lost their lives during that conflict.

Reasons for Listing

Alresford War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of St John the Baptist Church, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* As a poignant reminder of the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made during the First and Second World Wars;

Group value:

* With the Grade II*-listed St John the Baptist Church and 14 Grade II-listed chest tombs in the churchyard, within New Alresford Conservation Area.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q55698462

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

• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas