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Latitude: 53.9799 / 53°58'47"N
Longitude: -1.1532 / 1°9'11"W
OS Eastings: 455635
OS Northings: 454095
OS Grid: SE556540
Mapcode National: GBR NQDF.41
Mapcode Global: WHD9Y.8747
Plus Code: 9C5WXRHW+XP
Entry Name: Upper Poppleton War Memorial
Listing Date: 22 March 2018
Grade: II
Source: Historic England
Source ID: 1454695
ID on this website: 101454695
Location: Upper Poppleton, York, North Yorkshire, YO26
County: York
Civil Parish: Upper Poppleton
Built-Up Area: Upper Poppleton
Traditional County: Yorkshire
Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): North Yorkshire
Tagged with: War memorial
First World War memorial, with C21 additions for a later conflict.
First World War memorial, with C21 additions for a later conflict.
DESCRIPTION: Upper Poppleton war memorial is located at the centre of the village, within an area of planting on a small roundabout at the junction of The Green and Main Street. It is in close proximity to various Grade II-listed buildings surrounding the village green.
The memorial takes the form of a stone obelisk with moulded foot rising from a four-sided, tapered plinth, which in turn surmounts a two-stepped base. The east face of the plinth carries the dedicatory inscription and names in incised lettering. The inscription reads, ERECTED IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF THIS VILLAGE WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914-18. The names of 10 men who died are recorded below the inscription within a recessed fielded panel. Beneath the panel there is one further name followed by the words, THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE.
Incised to the north side of the plinth is the name of a serviceman who died in 2010 in Afghanistan. The lettering is painted black.
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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Upper Poppleton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 11 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was probably erected not long after the end of the conflict.
In 2010 the name of a serviceman who had died earlier that year in Afghanistan was added to the memorial.
Upper Poppleton War Memorial, which is situated at the junction of The Green and Main Street, 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 First World War.
Architectural interest:
* a well-executed obelisk memorial.
Group value:
* with the various Grade II-listed buildings surrounding the village green.
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.
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