Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, with added inscription and names from the Second World War; relocated from within the churchyard to its current location by the late 1970s.
Description
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, with added inscription and names from the Second World War; relocated from within the churchyard to its current location by the late 1970s.
MATERIALS: granite cross with metal lettering.
DESCRIPTION: a Latin cross on a tapered plinth. The bottom of the shaft bears the lettering 1914 -1918 and the face of the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF BRIGHSTONE/ MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR with the names below. The left hand side of the base is inscribed ALSO OF THOSE WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR OF/ 1935 -1945 with names below.
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 Brighstone and it is a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War.
Brighstone War Memorial was unveiled in 1920 by the Parish Rector. It commemorates 18 servicemen of the community who gave their lives in the First World War. A further inscription and the names of five who died in the Second World War were added following that conflict and inscribed by Wight Stonemasonry Ltd; a sixth name was added at a later date.
An historic photograph dating from the 1920s suggests that the memorial originally stood within the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I); however, by the late 1970s it had been relocated outside of the boundary wall of the churchyard at the junction of Main Road and New Road.
Reasons for Listing
Brightone War Memorial, Isle of Wight 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 sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Group value:
* with the nearby Church of St Mary (Grade I).
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.
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