Colyton War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial. Erected circa 1920, with further inscriptions added later.

Reasons for Designation

Colyton War Memorial, which stands near the centre of the village, is listed at Grade II for the following reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: an elegant Latin stone cross carved with a longsword in raised relief. It is derived from the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission;
* Group value: with the Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church and Grade II houses on Vicarage Street.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw a huge wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. One such memorial was erected in circa 1920 to commemorate the men of Colyton who died during the conflict. The design is derived from the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission. Variations on Blomfield’s design appeared in stone masons catalogues and were chosen for local war memorials across England. Further inscriptions were added to the memorial following the Second World War, in memory of those who lost their lives.

Details

First World War memorial. Erected circa 1920 , with further inscriptions added later.

MATERIALS: carved from limestone.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands in the churchyard of the Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church, and overlooks the Grade II listed C16 to C18 houses on Vicarage Street. It comprises a tall elongated Latin stone cross with a tapering octagonal shaft and crossarm. A longsword is carved in raised relief on the cross; the crossguard of the sword matching where the cross’ shaft and crossarm meet. The shaft stands on an octagonal plinth, itself resting on a four-stage stepped octagonal base. On the front of the plinth is inscribed ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919’. There are 45 names inscribed on the sides of the plinth. The top stage of the base carries the words ‘THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE’ and the second stage is inscribed ‘1939-1945’ followed by six names. An octagonal concrete path bounded by chamfered kerb stones surrounds the memorial. It is set upon a raised earthen platform approached by three steps and separated off from the surrounding churchyard by an ashlar dwarf wall with a triangular stone coping.


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, 7 December 2016.

Sources

Books and journals
Tiller, K, Remembrance and Community: War Memorials and Local History, (2013), 23

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 07/12/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25249
War Memorials Online, accessed 07/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/169780

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