History in Structure

Birley War Memorial

A Grade II Listed Building in Birley with Upper Hill, County of Herefordshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.1754 / 52°10'31"N

Longitude: -2.8003 / 2°48'1"W

OS Eastings: 345368

OS Northings: 253318

OS Grid: SO453533

Mapcode National: GBR FG.540H

Mapcode Global: VH77L.DLY6

Plus Code: 9C4V55GX+5V

Entry Name: Birley War Memorial

Listing Date: 5 March 2019

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1462970

ID on this website: 101462970

Location: St Peter's Church, Birley, County of Herefordshire, HR4

County: County of Herefordshire

Civil Parish: Birley with Upper Hill

Traditional County: Herefordshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Herefordshire

Tagged with: War memorial

Summary


A First World War memorial, erected in about 1920.

Description


A First World War memorial, erected in about 1920.

MATERIALS
Stone.

DESCRIPTION
The memorial comprises a Latin cross with cusped arms on a gently tapering octagonal shaft, standing on a substantial tapering square-section plinth, on a single-stepped platform.

The main inscription reads: THIS MEMORIAL CROSS/ WAS ERECTED BY/ THE PARISHIONERS/ IN SORROW AND PRIDE/ A GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO/ (2 NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914–1919.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Birley as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by two members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.


Reasons for Listing


Birley War Memorial 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 church’s community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* for its design, a well-executed stone cross with good inscriptions.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Peter (Grade I), in whose churchyard it stands.

External Links

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