Summary
First World War memorial, erected about 1920, with Second World War addition.
Description
First World War memorial, erected about 1920, with Second World War addition.
MATERIALS: grey granite
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a four-sided stone pillar with a cornice and pointed cap, a two-tiered moulded foot, upon a square plinth and a two-tiered base. It is set within a narrow, railed enclosure built into a green bank with a concrete foundation platform. The plinth bears the inscriptions in incised lettering.
The inscription reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918// (NAMES)// ALSO TO THE MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO FELL IN THE/ 1939 – 1945 WAR/ (NAMES)
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 Reedham 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 Reedham is prominently situated at a fork in the road at the junction of The Hills and Riverside. The memorial was presumably erected, around 1920 and commemorates eighteen local servicemen and one servicewoman who died in the First World War. It also commemorates the six men from the village who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Listing
Reedham War Memorial, which is situated at the junction of The Hills and Riverside, 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 simple but well-executed granite pillar.
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
Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)