Summary
A war memorial of 1921 date constructed of granite.
Description
A war memorial of 1921 date.
MATERIALS: constructed of Cornish grey granite; Bronze; Granolithic concrete.
DESCRIPTION: comprising a wheel head cross on a three-tiered plinth with chamfered edges, on a six-stepped base, the upper five levels being octagonal in plan, the lowermost circular. The plinth bears the inscriptions in cast bronze plaques.
The inscriptions read: Plinth, 6, 3 & 12 o'clock faces. Upper tier : IN PROUD MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF WHITWICK / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE WAR / 1914 - 1918 Middle tier : (NAMES) Plinth, 6 o'clock face, lower tier only : THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR / EVERMORE Plinth, 9 o'clock faces. Upper tier : IN PROUD MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF WHITWICK / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE WAR / 1939 - 1945 Middle tier : (NAMES) On step riser faces, bottom to top : 1914 / 1915 / 1916 / 1917 / 1918.
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 20/08/2019
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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 Whitwick as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by a member of the local community who lost his life in the First World War. The memorial was designed by the vicar, the Reverend TW Walters, MA in 1921 and executed by Messrs Wells and Co, of Hugglescote, under the direction of the local war memorial committee. The memorial was unveiled on Saturday 5 November 1921 by General Sir Reginald Hoskins KCB CMG DSO (the general officer commanding the North Midland area) and dedicated by Lord Bishop of Peterborough.
The memorial was later altered to recognise the fallen in the Second World War. It commemorates 82 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and 31 men who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Listing
Whitwick War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* it is 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:
* it is a well-detailed war memorial in the form of a wheel cross.
Group value:
* it has group value with the Church of St John the Baptist (listed at 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
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)