Levens War Memorial

Churchyard of the Church of St John, Church Road, Levens, Cumbria, LA8 8PS

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457157
Date first listed:: 07-Aug-2018
List Entry Name:: Levens War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St John, Church Road, Levens, Cumbria, LA8 8PS

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457157
Date first listed:: 07-Aug-2018
List Entry Name:: Levens War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Church of St John, Church Road, Levens, Cumbria, LA8 8PS

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St John, Church Road, Levens, Cumbria, LA8 8PS

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Westmorland and Furness (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Levens
National Grid Reference:: SD4853385768

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Levens War Memorial, which is situated in the churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a simple but well-executed stone cross.

Group value:

* with the Grade II-listed Church of St John the Evangelist.

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 Levens as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Levens War Memorial was situated within the churchyard. The erection of the memorial was approved at Carlisle Consistory Court in February 1921. The memorial commemorates 17 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and three men who fell in the Second World War.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921.

DESCRIPTION: Levens War Memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist, Church Road, Levens, Cumbria. It is prominently situated by the south-east corner of the church building, beside the path encircling the building. It comprises a stone wheel-head cross with raised detailing, on a tapering shaft and moulded foot, on a tall and wide four-sided tapering plinth with moulded foot, standing on a three-stepped square base. The plinth bears the inscriptions on two bronze panels affixed to the front face.

The inscription is in raised cast bronze lettering and reads THESE MEN OF LEVENS/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ 1914 – 1918/ (NAMES)// AND THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WAR OF 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 2 April 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4213
War Memorials Online, accessed 2 April 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/176321/

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.