Summary
First World War Memorial. Circa 1920, with further inscriptions added later. It was re-sited to its current location in 1994.
Reasons for Designation
The Shepton Beauchamp war memorial, probably erected in the early 1920s, 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: an accomplished and well-executed war memorial, in the form of a timber Calvary, with commemorative plaques on its stone plinth;
* Group value: the memorial groups well with a number of listed buildings and monuments including several chest tombs (Grade II) and the Church of St Michael (Grade I).
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the single biggest wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. One such memorial was erected, probably in the early 1920s, in Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset to commemorate the eight men of the parish who died during the conflict. A further plaque was added to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V in May 1935 and to further commemorate the fallen. Following the Second World War a further five names were added to the monument in memory of the men who died during this conflict. In 1994 the memorial was moved a short distance from the opposite (west) side of Church Street to its current position in the south-west corner of the churchyard.
Details
First World War Memorial. Circa 1920, with further inscriptions added later. It was re-sited to its current location in 1994.
End of official list entry
