Summary
First World War memorial, 1921.
Description
First World War memorial, 1921.
MATERIALS: Sicilian marble.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent position at the centre of the burial ground, approximately 50m to the south of the Church of the Holy Trinity (Grade II*).
The memorial comprises a plain Latin cross with an elaborately carved foot on a substantial octagonal plinth and single-stepped square base. It is carved from Sicilian marble. On the foot of the cross is a laurel wreath enclosing the inscription 1914/ 1918.
The main inscription on the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ MIDDLETON/ WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR./ THEIR MEMORY/ LIVETH FOR/ EVERMORE.
The names of the fallen are carved on three other faces of the plinth.
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 Middleton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was erected by Mr Fred Barber, who built war memorials in several other nearby parishes. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 17 July 1921 by Major General Sir Ronald Lane KCB, KCVO.
Reasons for Listing
Middleton War Memorial, which stands in a prominent position at the centre of the burial ground, approximately 50m to the south of the Church of the Holy Trinity, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as an elegant and well-executed Sicilian marble Latin cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of the Holy Trinity (Grade II*).
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
Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)