Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled in May 1920, with Second World War additions.

Description

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: Preston War Memorial is located in the churchyard to the east of the Church of St Peter and St Paul (Grade II*-listed). It stands on a square area of paving.

The memorial is of Clipsham stone and takes the form of a Latin cross on a tall, tapering octagonal shaft with moulded collar and chamfered stops. The shaft rises from a four-sided plinth with moulded upper corners, surmounting a two-stepped, square base. Four square stone flower holders stand on the lower step of the base, one at each corner; a fifth stands adjacent to the memorial on the south side.

Stone panels have been added to the faces of the plinth carrying the First World War dedication and names. The dedication is to the east face of the plinth and reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE/ PRESTON MEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919. The 12 names of those who died are recorded to the north and south faces of the plinth. A further inscription to the west face reads THEIR NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE.

The east face of the upper step of the base carries the Second World War dedication on a similar stone panel AND THOSE WHO FELL IN THE WORLD WAR 1939-1945. Two casualties are recorded from this conflict, one inscribed on a stone panel to the north face of the base and the other to a similar panel on the south face.

All lettering is incised, painted black.

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Preston as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 12 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was unveiled in May 1920 by Lieutenant General Sir A E Codrington and dedicated by the Bishop of Leicester.

Following the Second World War, a dedication and the names of the two men killed in that conflict were added to the memorial.

A photograph from the 1990s indicates that the inscriptions on the memorial had been significantly weathered. Stone panels have since been fixed to the plinth and base with renewed inscriptions and names.

Reasons for Listing

Preston War Memorial, which is situated in St Peter and St Paul’s churchyard, 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:

* a well-executed Latin cross memorial.

Group value:

* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Peter and St Paul.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479545

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

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  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
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  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
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  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
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  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)