Summary
First World War memorial, 1921, with additions for later C20 conflicts.
Reasons for Designation
Brixworth War Memorial, which stands in All Saints’ churchyard, 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;
* Design: a well-executed limestone cross;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed All Saints’ church.
History
The memorial, to commemorate the servicemen of Brixworth who died during the First World War, was constructed by the builder Arthur Lewis. It was unveiled at a ceremony held on 15 May 1921 by Major-General Sir H Cecil Lowther, GCMG. Further names have been added, to commemorate those who fell during the Second World War, and also in the Korean War (1950-3) and the Falklands Conflict (1982).
Details
The war memorial stands in the south of the churchyard of Brixworth’s celebrated Anglo-Saxon Grade I-listed church of All Saints’. The memorial is a c6m tall, wheel-headed, foliate limestone cross which rises from a square plinth set on a three-stepped octagonal base. A Greek cross is carved in relief at the bottom of the shaft, on each side. The Greek cross carved on the north side of the shaft bears the inscription 1914-19.
Slate panels set into the plinth carry incised inscriptions and the names of the fallen:
(north panel) THEY, WHOM THIS CROSS COMMEMORATES,/ WERE NUMBERED AMONG THOSE, WHO, AT/ THE CALL OF KING AND COUNTRY, LEFT ALL/ THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM, ENDURED HARDNESS,/ FACED DANGER, AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF/ THE SIGHT OF MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY AND/ SELF-SACRIFICE, GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES/ THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM./ LET THOSE WHO COME AFTER, SEE TO IT/ THAT THEIR NAMES BE NOT FORGOTTEN.
(east panel) (16 NAMES)
(south panel) IN GLORIOUS MEMORY OF/ THOSE MEN WHO GAVE THEMSELVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1939-1945./ (7 NAMES)/ (1 NAME)/ KOREA 28-9-1952.
(west panel) (32 NAMES)
A small slate plaque placed above the south panel carries the inscription FALKLAND ISLANDS/ 1982/ (1 NAME)/ PARACHUTE REGT.
This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 16 January 2017.
