Shaldon War Memorial

Summary

Clock tower, built as war memorial, erected 1921 with further inscriptions added in 1949.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial clock tower in Shaldon which was erected in 1921 is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* * Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: in contrast to the more standard war memorial designs, it is a modest, yet elegant and utilitarian clock tower with well-executed detailing;
* Group value: it makes a positive and important contribution to the street scene and groups well with the neighbouring listed buildings.

History

The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War. The Shaldon memorial clock tower was erected in 1921 to commemorate the twenty-six local men who had lost their lives during the First World War, and it was funded by public subscription. It is one of the forms of utilitarian monuments (like memorial village halls, and parks) sometimes chosen in preference to mute crosses. It was to have originally been of marble with a luminous dial and illuminated finials but the design was modified, either due to insufficient funds or because a simpler style of memorial was a more popular choice. It was built by Albert Best of Teignmouth, and the clock was probably manufactured by Harold Mole, also of Teignmouth. The ‘turret’ clock which has two faces was mechanical and it was wound by hand on a weekly basis until the 1970s when it was converted to electric.

Further plaques record the nine men who died in the Second World War (dedicated on 20 May 1949); an inscription commemorating two men who died in 1949 during the Malayan Emergency (1948-60) has also been added.

Details

Clock tower, built as war memorial, erected 1921 with further inscriptions added in 1949.

MATERIALS: constructed of red brick and ashlar with ashlar dressings

DESCRIPTION: it is a square structure in a loose classical style and comprises a chamfered plinth of stone and brick and a tall two-stage tower of red brick with a moulded string course between the stages. A wooden door in its south-west elevation gives access to the clock mechanism. The main (south-east) face of the tower bears an inscription noting the memorial’s erection and reads: THIS MEMORIAL/WAS ERECTED BY THE/INHABITANTS OF SHALDON/TO COMMEMORATE THE/VICTORIOUS ENDING/OF THE GREAT WAR/1914 – 1919/AND IN THE GRATEFUL MEMORY/OF THE MEN OF SHALDON/WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY./ "DULCE ET DECORUM/EST PRO PATRIA/MORI."/Erected 1921. On the plinth below is a plaque inscribed: ALSO/IN GLORIOUS MEMORY/OF THOSE WHO GAVE/THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR OF/1939 - 45 WHOSE NAMES APPEAR ON/THE ADJOINING PLAQUE. The north-west and north-east faces have stone panels which bear the names of the dead. The upper stage of the tower has a clock face to both the south-east and north-west elevations, the other two sides are blind. Above the dentilled cornice, is a lead-covered pyramidal roof which is surmounted by a ball finial.

The memorial is raised up slightly on a square base with offset stone blocks at the angles; these now carry a later post and chain fence. The whole is now enclosed by later C20 metal railings which are not included in the listing.


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, 8 December 2016.

Sources

Websites
War Memorial, Shaldon 1922, accessed from http://www.francisfrith.com/shaldon/photos/war-memorial-1922_73106a/#utmcsr=google.co.uk&utmcmd=referral&utmccn=google.co.uk
War Memorials Register, accessed 01/06/2014 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25955
War Memorials Online, accessed 08/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/98212

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