Summary
First World War memorial, erected 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, erected 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Portland stone with cast-iron railings.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a short obelisk on a square pedestal with a molded cap, recessed panels and chamfered plinth, set on a three-stepped base. The north panel of the pedestal is inscribed ‘1914-1919/ REMEMBER/ THOSE WHO DIED/ FOR US’ with the names inscribed on the remaining faces. The inscription ‘1939-1945’ has been added below the recessed north-facing panel, with 15 names on the chamfer and foot of the pedestal. A further name has been added below the list of names at a later stage. The memorial, which is enclosed by cast-iron bar railings, stands on paving set within a grassed area. A path leads from the memorial to the pavement and four dwarf stone bollards stand to the front of the memorial at the edge of the grassed area.
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.
The Totland memorial was erected by the beginning of 1920 by the West Wight Monumental Company. By May 1920 the area around the memorial had been completed, with iron railings installed and shrubs planted along the path running to the memorial. Efforts to erect the memorial were led by Mr F G Aman and Mr C G Ring.
Following the end of the Second World War, the names of 15 local men who died during that conflict were added. Two further names from the Second World War were added after 1998. Four additional names that were omitted from the First World War have also been added. The memorial was originally located at the southern end of the Broadway, but was relocated to its present location when the road junction became a roundabout. Restoration of the memorial was carried out by Totland Parish Council in 1999.
Reasons for Listing
Totland Bay 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 local community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a well-composed obelisk memorial with original commemorative inscriptions.
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
Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)