Summary
First World War memorial cross, with later additions for the Second World War
Description
The memorial stands outside the Church of St Firmin (Grade I-listed), on the southern side of the square off the High Street. The Portland stone memorial comprises a tall Latin cross standing on an octagonal base, raised on three octagonal steps. The area of the cross shaft just below the cross head, and the foot of the cross shaft, are decorated with blind Gothic arcading carved in low relief. White stone tablets have been added to each face of the base.
The inscription to the front (north) face reads IN/ PROUD AND AFFECTIONATE/ REMEMBRANCE OF/ THOSE MEN OF NORTH CRAWLEY/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ 1939-45 (3 NAMES). A further dedication to the rear face reads SONS OF THIS PEACE LET THIS/ OF YOU BE SAID/ THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE/ WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD/ THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT/ YOU WHO LIVE MAY REAP/ A RICHER HARVEST ERE/ YOU FALL ASLEEP. The names of those who died in the First World War are listed on the west and east faces.
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 North Crawley as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 16 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The cross was in place by 1925, as shown on the Ordnance Survey 25” County Series map for Buckinghamshire published in that year. A photograph taken between 1925 and 1936 shows that the memorial was once enclosed by railings. Following the Second World War, the names of three men who died in that conflict were added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
North Crawley War Memorial, which stands outside St Firmin’s Church, 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 memorial cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Firmin (Grade I) and numerous Grade II-listed buildings in this area of the High Street.
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
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[(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
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Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)