Whitelackington War Memorial
North of the church of St Mary the Virgin, Whitelackington, Ilminster, Somerset
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1422491
- Date first listed:
- 11-Nov-2014
- List Entry Name:
- Whitelackington War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- North of the church of St Mary the Virgin, Whitelackington, Ilminster, Somerset
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1422491
- Date first listed:
- 11-Nov-2014
- List Entry Name:
- Whitelackington War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- North of the church of St Mary the Virgin, Whitelackington, Ilminster, Somerset
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- North of the church of St Mary the Virgin, Whitelackington, Ilminster, Somerset
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Somerset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Whitelackington
- National Grid Reference:
- ST3795915340
Summary
War memorial, early C20. Further plaque added after the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
The Whitelackington war memorial, dedicated in the 1920s, with Second World War additions, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of a world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: a simple, yet accomplished, war memorial which takes the form of an obelisk;
* Group value: it has a strong group value with the Grade II* listed church of St Mary the Virgin.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. One such memorial was erected in Whitelackington to commemorate the four men of the village who died during the conflict. It is not known when it was erected, but it is likely to have been during the early 1920s. The memorial stands on a grassed area of in front (north) of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, adjacent to the road through the village. Following the Second World War a second dedicatory inscription was added to commemorate the two local men who died during that conflict.
Details
War memorial, early C20. Further plaque added after Second World War.
MATERIALS: constructed of Ham stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial faces north and takes the form of a plain obelisk standing upon a square base of three steps. The base supports a rectangular plinth which has a chamfered base and a cornice. Its north face carries a recessed bronze plaque in a moulded surround which is inscribed: 1914 - 1918/ (NAMES)/ "THEY DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY". On the south face is an added bronze plaque, inscribed: 1939 - 1945/ (NAMES)/ "YE SHALL BE REMEMBERED/ BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD”/ NUMBERS, X. 9. Rising from the plinth is a tapering shaft which is ornamented on its north face with a bronze laurel wreath.
Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act') it is declared that the late-C20 posts and rail which encircle the war memorial are not of special architectural or historic interest and 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, 14 December 2016.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 04/11/2014 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/1367
War Memorials Online, accessed 14/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/132123
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
The listed building(s) is/are shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 14-Jun-2026 at 17:36:53.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.