War Memorial in churchyard of St George's Church

War Memorial c.30m south of the chancel of St George's Church, St George's Churchyard, Rutland Street, Leicester, Leicestershire

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Overview

First World War memorial erected in 1921 to the designs of W. D. Caröe. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1415471
Date first listed:: 28-Aug-2013
List Entry Name:: War Memorial in churchyard of St George's Church
Statutory Address:: War Memorial c.30m south of the chancel of St George's Church, St George's Churchyard, Rutland Street, Leicester, Leicestershire

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1415471
Date first listed:: 28-Aug-2013
List Entry Name:: War Memorial in churchyard of St George's Church
Statutory Address 1:: War Memorial c.30m south of the chancel of St George's Church, St George's Churchyard, Rutland Street, Leicester, Leicestershire

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:: War Memorial c.30m south of the chancel of St George's Church, St George's Churchyard, Rutland Street, Leicester, Leicestershire

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

District:: City of Leicester (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: SK5922004403

Summary

First World War memorial erected in 1921 to the designs of W. D. Caröe.

Reasons for Designation

The First World War memorial, erected in 1921 to the designs of W. D. Caröe, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: it has special historic interest commemorating those members of the community who died in the First World War;

* Architectural interest: it is a well-detailed memorial designed by William Douglas Caröe, an eminent architect who has five other World War I memorials on the List at Grade II; * Group value: it has strong group value with the Grade II* listed Church of St George, the nave of which had been rebuilt by Caröe in 1911.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until the end of the C19. Memorials before this date were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902. This was the first major war to take place after reforms to the British Army led to the recruitment of regiments from local communities. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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.

The war memorial dedicated to the fallen from the parish of St George was dedicated by the Reverend Noel Mellish in 1921. It was built at a cost of £490 by the stonemasons W. Thrall & Son to the design of William Douglas Caröe (1857-1938). Caröe had been responsible for rebuilding the nave at St George’s Church after it was damaged by fire in 1911. He was a pioneer of building conservation, and had been appointed Senior Architect to the Church Commissioners in 1895. Caröe restored many churches and he designed both domestic and commercial buildings, many of which are listed, such as the Offices of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and Church Estates in Millbank, London (Grade II*).

Details

First World War memorial erected in 1921 to the designs of W. D. Caröe.

MATERIALS: sandstone ashlar and timber.

EXTERIOR: the memorial comprises a wooden crucifix resting on a hexagonal stone plinth, with a moulded cornice and base, and alternating recessed sides with moulded segmental arches. This rests on a tall hexagonal five-stepped stone base, the south side of which bears a square stone tablet engraved with the inscription: ‘DEDICATED BY THE RV NOEL MELLISH VC WITH PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING FOR THOSE WHO FROM THIS CHURCH AND PARISH OF S. GEORGE THE SOLDIER MARTYR LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR: 1914 1918 / LORD ALL PITYING JESU BLEST GRANT THEM THINE ETERNAL REST’ followed by the names of the fallen.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 15 March 2017.

Sources

Websites
St George’s Church War Memorial , accessed from http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council-services/lc/growth-and-history
War Memorials Online, accessed 15 March 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/74721
War Memorials Register, accessed 15 March 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/50606

Legal

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