Headless Cross War Memorial
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1425552
- Date first listed:
- 30-Mar-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Headless Cross War Memorial
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1425552
- Date first listed:
- 30-Mar-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Headless Cross War Memorial
- Location Description:
- St Luke's Church (Bridge Church), Evesham Road, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 4JX
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
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Worcestershire
- District:
- Redditch (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SP0380366211
Summary
First World War memorial, 1920. Later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Headless Cross War Memorial, which stands to the south of St Luke’s Church (Bridge Church), Evesham Road, is listed at Grade II for the following principal 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;
* Group Value: with the Grade II-listed church of St Luke, 1867-8, one of the best works of Frederick Preedy (1820-98).
History
The war memorial was unveiled in October 1920 by Bishop Fyson. An inscription commemorating those who fell in the Second World War was added after 1945.
Details
The 6m tall monument in Portland stone stands to the south of St Luke’s Church (Grade II-listed). It comprises a cross which rises from a tapered shaft. The cross bears a small shield on which is carved HIS. The shaft has a moulded base and capital, and stands on an octagonal pedestal which rises from a three-stepped concrete base.
The inscription carved on the front face of the pedestal reads:
TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE/ MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918/ LIVE THOU FOR ENGLAND/ WE FOR ENGLAND DIED
The 99 names recorded on the memorial are carved on the other seven sides of the pedestal. On the front face of the top step is carved ALSO IN WORLD WAR II 1939-1945.
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, 18 January 2017.
Sources
Websites
Great War Memorials in Worcestershire, accessed 12/02/2015 from http://www.hut-six.co.uk/GreatWar/memorials/headlesscross.html
War Memorial Register, accessed 12/02/2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/32113
War Memorials Online, accessed 18 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/92218
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 27-Jun-2026 at 17:25:20.
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.