Summary
First World War memorial cross, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
The memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of the Holy Saviour (Grade II-listed), beside the south door of the church. It comprises a simple Latin cross rising from the moulded collar of a tall shaft, octagonal in section. The cross shaft stands on a three-stepped base, square in plan. The lower step has a simple cornice for the laying of wreaths and floral tributes.
The main inscription, beginning on the front face of the upper step of the base and continuing to the middle step, reads 1939 – 1945/ IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918.
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. 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 raised at Erlestoke 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 had been erected by 1924, when the Ordnance Survey County Series 1:2500 map sheet for the area on which it is marked was published. A dedication for the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Erlestoke War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* a simple yet poignant war memorial cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of the Holy Saviour (Grade II) and adjacent Grade II-listed structures including Tilted Lodge and the Gate Piers formerly to Erlestoke Park adjoining the churchyard.
External Links
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
[(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
[(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)