Airmen's Cross near Stonehenge

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Overview

A memorial erected in commemoration of two pioneer airmen who were killed in a flying accident near Stonehenge in 1912. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1242829
Date first listed:: 05-May-1995
List Entry Name:: Airmen's Cross near Stonehenge

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Date:: 2003-05-03
Reference:: IOE01/10701/06
Rights:: © Mrs Anne Thomas. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1242829
Date first listed:: 05-May-1995
Date of most recent amendment:: 24-Dec-2015
List Entry Name:: Airmen's Cross near Stonehenge
Location Description:: Located c30m south-west of the Stonehenge Visitors Centre.

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

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

District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Winterbourne Stoke
National Grid Reference:: SU1003342738

Summary

A memorial erected in commemoration of two pioneer airmen who were killed in a flying accident near Stonehenge in 1912.

Reasons for Designation

The Airmen's Cross near Stonehenge is listed at Grade II for the following principal reason:

Historic interest: a relatively rare memorial erected in 1912 to commemorate the historically significant event of a flying accident that killed two pioneer aviators shortly before the formation of Britain's first military flying corps.

History

The Airmen's Cross near Stonehenge was erected in memory of two pioneer airmen, Captain Eustace Loraine and Staff Sergeant Richard Wilson, who were killed in a flying accident near Stonehenge in 1912. In 1911, shortly before the creation of the Royal Flying Corps (active from 1912 to 1918), military flying had begun in the area around Stonehenge, as the open grassland was particularly suitable for flying early aircraft. Loraine and Wilson were flying a Nieuport monoplane from Larkhill Airfield, north of Stonehenge, on a routine training flight on 5th July 1912, when, unaccountably, the aircraft crashed.

On 25 June 2012 the memorial was removed from its original location along the A303, and re-erected near the new Stonehenge visitors' centre in 2013. On 1 May 2014, the Airmen's Cross was re-dedicated by the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Details

A memorial erected in commemoration of two pioneer airmen who were killed in a flying accident near Stonehenge in 1912.

Materials: granite.

Description: a relief-carved cross set into a wheel-head with a short shaft and stepped plinth, inscribed with the words:

TO THE MEMORY/ OF/ CAPTAIN LORAINE/ AND STAFF-SERGEANT WILSON/ WHO WHILST FLYING ON DUTY MET WITH/ A FATAL ACCIDENT NEAR THIS SPOT/ ON JULY 5TH 1912./ ERECTED BY THEIR COMRADES

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 443794
Legacy System:: LBS

Legal

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