Summary
First World War memorial of 1921 with alterations after the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial of 1921 with alterations after the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Portland stone.
PLAN: and octagonal shaft and tapering square plinth, on a three-stepped base.
DESCRIPTION: The memorial takes the form of a stone wheel cross on a tapered octagonal shaft. This surmounts a tapered stone plinth with inset panels and a cornice.
The north face of the plinth features an incised inscription, which reads: ERECTED BY/ PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919/ LEST WE FORGET. The east and west faces contain the incised names of the Fallen. Set in front of the memorial is a sandstone open book shaped tablet with an incised inscription that reads: 1939-1945/ (NAMES).
The memorial stands on two stone steps, with a third concrete step and concrete raft base.
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, as a result both of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities, and of 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.
Kilham War Memorial commemorates 20 local servicemen who died during the First World War. It was unveiled on Sunday 24 July 1921, by Colonel C H Pearce, in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints, paid for with funds raised by local residents. The hymn ‘Soldiers of Christ arise’ was sung, and the ex-service men of the village paraded in honour of their fallen comrades. Brigadier-General J H Bateson also spoke at the dedication. The ceremony was concluded with Bugler Wright sounding the ‘Last Post’ and the ‘Reveille’ after which relatives placed wreaths on the monument.
An open book shaped tablet was added to the memorial following the Second World War.
The memorial benefited from a War Memorials Trust Grant in 2016 for cleaning and preservation, improving the legibility of the inscription and names.
Reasons for Listing
Kilham War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of All Saints’ Church, 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:
* an elegantly proportioned wheel cross memorial, displaying good detailing with artistic carving.
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
ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Old House Care and Repair
[(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)