Summary
A war memorial, designer unknown, constructed circa 1921.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial in Page Park, Staple Hill, 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 made in the conflicts of the C20;
*Architectural interest: the memorial is a grave and imposing monument, with good bronze embellishments which suit its sombre purpose.
History
The war memorial was erected after about 1921, in a prominent location in Page Park. The memorial was set up to honour the men of the parishes of Downend and Soundwell who died during the First World War; after the Second World War it was altered to include the Fallen of the Urban District of Mangotsfield from that conflict.
Details
A war memorial, designer unknown, constructed circa 1921. MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed from granite. PLAN: the war memorial stands upon a square platform. DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of an obelisk with a tapering shaft, in hammered stone, set on a high, square-section plinth with a moulded base and cornice. At the base of each face of the obelisk is a bronze relief of a laurel wreath with two draped flags. The faces of the plinth and its base each carry a bronze plaque with an inscription and the names of the Fallen from the First and Second World Wars. The inscriptions read: IN / GLORIOUS MEMORY / OF / THE MEN OF / DOWNEND / AND / SOUNDWELL / WHO / GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1918 / "THEIR NAME LIVETH / FOR EVERMORE" / IN GLORIOUS MEMORY / OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE URBAN DISTRICT / OF MANGOTSFIELD WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / DURING THE 1939-45 WAR AND OTHER / CAMPAIGNS / "WE WILL REMEMBER THEM". At each upper corner of the plinth is an applied bronze putto and swag. The memorial stands on a three-stepped platform of roughly-dressed granite. 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, 11 January 2017.
End of official list entry
Print the official list entry