Summary
First World War granite memorial cross, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
The granite memorial cross stands at the roadside, close to the scheduled and Grade II-listed ruins of the Church of St Peter. It comprises a tall rough-hewn wheel-head cross that rises from a small tapering pedestal. The pedestal stands on a low square base. The principal dedicatory inscription to the base of the cross shaft reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOURED/ MEMORY OF/ THE ALRESFORD MEN/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. The commemorated names are recorded on two faces of the pedestal.
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 unveiled at Alresford by the Suffragan Bishop of Colchester on 2 June 1920 as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 12 members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate five local servicemen who died in that conflict.
In 2004 the lettering was restored with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.
Reasons for Listing
Alresford War Memorial, which stands on Ford Lane, 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 simple yet poignant granite wheel-head cross, in the Celtic style.
Group value:
* with the ruins of the Church of St Peter (scheduled, and Grade II-listed).
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
Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Period Property Manual (New Ed)