Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, with later additions.
Description
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, with later additions.
MATERIALS: Cornish granite with painted lead lettering. Limestone lower step.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands on a triangle of land at the junction of School Lane and Hardres Court Road. It consists of a roughhewn granite wheel cross with a sword carved in relief on its front face. The shaft rises from a roughhewn, boulder style, plinth on a two stepped base. The top step is granite, the lower of limestone flags.
The inscription at the base of the shaft reads ‘IN/ PROUD AND/ IMMORTAL/ MEMORY/ OF’, continuing on the plinth with ‘THE MEN CONNECTED WITH THIS/ PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ (25 NAMES)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE’. The names record the rank and regiment/ship.
A further inscription for the seven fallen of the Second World War has been added to the rear of the memorial. Again this begins at the bottom of the shaft ‘THESE ALSO/ GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ 1939 – 1945’ with the names listed on the plinth. The names record rank and arm of service.
The cross sits on a small area of limestone paving.
This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 27 February 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. 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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Lower Hardres 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 at Lower Hardres was unveiled on 18 June 1920 by Brigadier General Neil W Haig and was built by H G Browning. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the seven fallen of that conflict. In 2003 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.
Reasons for Listing
Lower Hardres 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a well executed example of one of the common forms of First World War memorials.
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
Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas