Summary
A commemorate cross erected at Great Tree in 1897, altered to commemorate subsequent coronations and the First World War.
Description
A commemorate cross erected at Great Tree in 1897, altered to commemorate subsequent coronations and the First World War.
MATERIALS AND PLAN: the cross is built of granite and stands in a small paved area adjacent to the village hall, facing north.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a Celtic-style cross with an ornately carved face, this has a short shaft which stands atop three large blocks which form the base.
The original inscription, on a plaque on the face of the main block of the base, reads: 'VICTORIA/ QUEEN & EMPRESS/ ENCLOSED & PLANTED/ AS A MEMORIAL OF THE/ DIAMOND JUBILEE/ OF HER GLORIOUS REIGN/ 1897'. Above this are later added inscriptions which read 'EDWARD VII. 1902', 'GEO. v. 1911', and 'GEORGE VI. 1937'.
At the base of the memorial is the plaque added to commemorate the First World War. Its inscription reads: 'THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ IN EVER GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF/ (NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ THIS MEMORIAL STONE IS ERECTED BY THE/ PARISHIONERS OF ST MARTINS, BY-LOOE'.
The final inscription is on a plaque added to the side of the memorial, which reads: 'ERECTED/ BY/ THE PARISH/ TO/ COMMEMORATE/ THE/ DIAMOND JUBILEE/ OF/ QUEEN/ ELIZABETH II/ 1952-2012'.
History
The commemorative cross at No Man's Land was originally erected at nearby Great Tree to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. Additional text was subsequently added in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII, and again in 1911 for that of King George V.
Following the First World War, England saw a great wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of war memorials erected across the country to honour the war dead. Here, the parishioners of St Martin-by-Looe added a plaque to the existing commemorative cross.
Later, further inscriptions were added in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI, and in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
The war memorial was moved to its present location at No Man's Land due to road improvements at Great Tree. The exact date when this took place is not known.
Reasons for Listing
The No Man's Land War Memorial and Commemorative Cross is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of the events of the First World War on the local community;
* for its interest as a commemorative cross which marks various royal coronations and jubilees of the C19 and C20.
Architectural interest:
* it is a dignified and sombre stone cross, neatly made and well-proportioned.
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
Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]