Summary
A First World War memorial, 1921, with added dates and names from the Second World War.
Description
MATERIALS: the memorial is of sandstone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is prominently positioned on the main road junction in the village.
It consists of a small Celtic cross on a substantial square pedestal with a moulded cap and base, chamfered corners and sunken panels, on a splayed plinth and two steps. Inscribed on the front face of the pedestal is TO THE MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF/ ASHURST WOOD/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WARS/ LEST WE FORGET/ 1914-1918 and 31 names on the other faces.
The dates 1939-1945 are inscribed on the front of the base and 22 names on the other sides of the base and plinth.
It is set on an area of random paving, bordered behind the memorial with a curved rubble dwarf wall, and to the front with a rubble curb and steps, with iron handrail. The bollards on the north side of the memorial are not considered to form part of the designed ensemble and therefore are not included in 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, 29 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. One such memorial was raised at Ashurst Wood 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 was unveiled on 31 July 1921, on land given by Captain and Mrs Larnach Nevill. One hundred and forty men of the village served in the First World War; the memorial commemorates the 31 who did not return.
The dates and names of 22 who died in the Second World War, and an ‘S’ to ‘GREAT WAR’, were added in 1948.
Reasons for Listing
Ashurst Wood War Memorial, Ashurst Wood, 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:
* in its simple form, enhanced by its immediate setting designed as part of an ensemble.
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
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
England's Post-War Listed Buildings