Bolventor War Memorial and dwarf walls, Altarnun, Cornwall

Entry Name: Bolventor War Memorial and dwarf walls

Listing Date: 13 December 2017

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1452056

ID on this website: 101452056

Location: Bolventor, Cornwall, PL15

County: Cornwall

Civil Parish: Altarnun

Traditional County: Cornwall

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Cornwall

Tagged with: War memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, erected probably in the 1920s.

Description

First World War memorial, erected probably in the 1920s.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is prominently situated in the village, standing opposite the Grade II-listed Jamaica Inn. It comprises a two-stepped, square base, a tall plinth with chamfered capping stone and a tapering shaft rising to a wheel-head cross. The lower part of the shaft is inscribed: 1914-1918, and the front (north-west) face of the plinth carries the inscription in black lettering: ERECTED,/ BY THE/ INHABITANTS AND FRIENDS/ OF BOLVENTOR/ TO THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE FALLEN/ AND IN HONOUR/ OF ALL THOSE WHO SERVED/ FROM THE PARISH/ THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES,/ FOR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ (NAMES of the Fallen)/ RIP. The sides of the plinth each carry the inscription: HONOURABLE SERVICE and records the names of those who served and returned.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial stands within a small Remembrance garden which is bounded by dwarf walls of stone rubble to the sides and rear.

Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the modern post and chain-link fencing is not of special architectural or historic interest and is not included in the listing.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 10 January 2018.

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 erected in the village of Bolventor, probably during the 1920s, to commemorate three local men lost their lives during the First World War and to also honour those who served in this conflict.

Reasons for Listing

Bolventor 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* its well-executed and sombre design is fitting for a memorial structure.

Group value:

* with the Grade-II listed Jamaica Inn which was made famous by the Daphne du Maurier novel of the same name.

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.