Falfield War Memorial

Bristol Road, Falfield, GL12 8DW

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1426066
Date first listed:: 02-Apr-2015
List Entry Name:: Falfield War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Bristol Road, Falfield, GL12 8DW

User submitted image — Uploaded by War Memorials Online This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions.

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

🏠 Buildings
🏰 Scheduled monuments
🌳 Parks and gardens
⚔️ Battlefields
⚓ Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1426066
Date first listed:: 02-Apr-2015
List Entry Name:: Falfield War Memorial
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: Bristol Road, Falfield, GL12 8DW

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Bristol Road, Falfield, GL12 8DW

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: South Gloucestershire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Falfield
National Grid Reference:: ST6831193256

Summary

Reasons for Designation

Falfield war memorial, erected in 1921, 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: a simple yet refined column with a calvary cross design, well-crafted in stone, given prominence by its wall enclosed horse-shoe shaped platform with decorative bollards and cast iron chain; * Intactness: despite the fact it has been re-located, the structure is mostly unaltered and it retains a prominent position within the parish; * Group value: it makes a positive and important contribution to the street scene and groups well with the neighbouring listed church of St George.

History

A First World War memorial erected in 1921 in memory of the thirteen men of the parish who lost their lives whilst serving their country in the First World WarThe funds for its erection were raised by a Committee of Parishioners. The memorial was originally located on Sundayshill, at the T-junction with Sundayshill Lane. After the Second World War four bronze plaques were added to the memorial base, probably replacing earlier plaques, in order to commemorate a further four men who lost their lives whilst serving their country during that conflict. In 1948 bollards and chains were erected around the memorial.

In 1964 the war memorial was relocated c 25m to the north-east, due to the improvements to the A38, then known as the Exeter to Leeds trunk-road. The land was purchased from the Diocese by Falfield parish council. A memorial service continues to be held every year at the war memorial.

Details

A First World War Memorial erected in 1921 in memory of the men of the parish who lost their lives whilst serving their country in the First World War, and subsequently also those who lost their lives whilst serving their country in the Second World War.

The memorial, with a total height of c2.7m, is constructed in stone, in the shape of a calvary cross set on and octagonal shaped column. This is surmounting a square base, with bronze plaques to its four faces, and placed on a three stepped octagonal base. The memorial is placed on a raised, horseshoe-shaped platform, paved in stone slabs, enclosed by a low curved stone wall to rear, and with three decorative bollards holding a cast iron chain to the front.

Each of the four bronze plaques is inscribed. That to the front (probably amended or replacing an earlier bronze plaque that only referred to the First World War) reads:

IN MEMORY OF THOSE BRAVE / MEN OF FALFIELD WHO, / IN THE GREAT WARS OF / 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, / FELL IN THEIR COUNTRY'S CAUSE.

The other three read:

1914 - 1918 / (7 names with rank)

1914 -1918 / (6 names with rank)

1939-1945 / (4 names with rank)

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.

Sources

Books and journals
South Gloucestershire District Council, , War Memorials in South Gloucestershire, (October 2014), 11
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 11 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/214283
War Memorials Register, accessed 12 March 2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/7435
Other
Illustrated report on the history of Falfield War Memorial, Falfield Parish Council, 2015 (held by English Heritage)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.