Summary
A First World War memorial, erected in 1921; further names added after the Second World War.
Description
A First World War memorial, erected in 1921; further names added after the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Clipsham stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of an ornate floriated wheel cross, on a tapering octagonal shaft with deep collar, surmounting a square, moulded pedestal of two stages bearing the inscriptions, atop a four-stepped, square platform. The plinth bears the inscriptions in incised lettering.
The inscription reads: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE MEN/ OF SEAGRAVE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE// (NAMES)// IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN/ OF SEAGRAVE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945// (NAMES)/ LET NOT THEIR SACRIFICE BE IN VAIN.
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 750,000 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 Seagrave, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 11 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was altered after the Second World War to include the names of six servicemen who died in that conflict.
The memorial was erected at a prominent road junction at the western entrance to the village, on land donated by Mr Hardy, Chairman of the Parish Council. Its design was intended to replicate the C14 churchyard cross at nearby Ragdale. The manufacture of the memorial and landscaping of its plot cost around £200. The memorial was unveiled on 02 October 1921 by Lieutenant-Colonel WSN Toller DSO, and it was dedicated by the Vicar, Reverend AEA Jones, MA.
Reasons for Listing
The war memorial in Seagrave 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 dignified and well-carved floriated cross modelled on a C14 example in a nearby village.
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
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)