Summary
First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
The memorial stands in the parish cemetery at the north-western edge of the village, surrounded by graves, many of them military. The memorial comprises a square white marble pillar with a large capital and cap, set on a two-stepped sandstone base.
The main dedication is in black-painted lettering on the eastern face of the column and reads ERECTED TO THE MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914–1918./ (9 NAMES)/ “LIVE THOU FOR ENGLAND/ WE FOR ENGLAND DIED.”/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS. ST. JOHN XV. 13.
The names of the fallen include their rank and regiment. The additional marble plaque added to the front of the upper step of the base has the inscription 1939–1945/ (NAME).
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 Upavon as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the nine members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Standing in the cemetery to the north-west of the village centre, the memorial had been erected by 1922, when the Ordnance Survey County Series 1:2500 map sheet for the area on which it appears was re-surveyed. The name of one parishioner who died during the Second World War was added to the memorial at the instigation of the Parish Council, following an appeal for information about missing names in 2007.
Reasons for Listing
Upavon Cemetery War Memorial, which stands in the cemetery off Chapel Lane, 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 well-executed marble column in the Classical style.
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
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)