Lych Gate at Our Lady of Light and St Osyth

Lych Gate, Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex

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Overview

A lych gate and war memorial commemorating the parish dead of the First World War, sited in a prominent corner position at the entrance to the grounds of the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth, Clacton-on-Sea. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1420919
Date first listed:: 26-Nov-2014
List Entry Name:: Lych Gate at Our Lady of Light and St Osyth
Statutory Address:: Lych Gate, Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1420919
Date first listed:: 26-Nov-2014
List Entry Name:: Lych Gate at Our Lady of Light and St Osyth
Statutory Address 1:: Lych Gate, Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex

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:: Lych Gate, Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex

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

County:: Essex
District:: Tendring (District Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TM1789314860

Summary

Reasons for Designation

The lych gate, constructed in 1925 and located at the entrance to the grounds of the Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth on the corner of Church Road and Holland Road, Clacton-on-Sea, 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 parish community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflict of 1914-18; * Architectural interest: as a well-detailed Arts and Crafts gabled design of oak, brick and stone, with good sculptural detail; * Group value: the lych gate forms the entrance to the grounds of the Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth, Clacton-on-Sea, listed at Grade II, with which the gate has group value.

History

The lych gate was built at the entrance to the Church of Our Lady of Light and St Osyth in about 1925 to honour the parish dead of the First World War.

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. 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 memorials provided the main focus for the grief felt at this great loss.

Details

Lych gate of 1925 at the entrance to the Church of our Lady of Light and St Osyth. MATERIALS: oak framed war memorial on a Lincolnshire limestone plinth, with herringbone brick at the sides (to gate height), oak gates and a gabled tile roof. EXTERIOR: open gabled design, the woodwork richly carved with quatrefoils (on the gables) and naturalistic foliage (in the pendentives). On the front there are carved figures of St Osyth (left) and St Charles (right) on the main uprights, and above, placed centrally on a king post, a figure of Our Lady of Light with a dove and inscription below (‘humilitas’). Within the lych gate to the left is an oak panel recording six parish war dead, with an inscription over (‘Pro Patria Mortui Sunt 1914-1918’).

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 12 January 2017.

Sources

Books and journals
'' in The Tablet, (20 September 1924)
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 12 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/22710
Other
Architectural History practice, Taking Stock: Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood, 2012,
Church Guidebook: Shrine of Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex by Rev. C. Wilson et al,

Legal

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