Milton War Memorial

Summary

War memorial, unveiled in 1922, and dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars.

Reasons for Designation

Milton War Memorial, which stands at the corner of Fen Road and Coles 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;
* Design: as a modest yet well-executed memorial;
* Group value: for the strong group value it holds with a number of listed buildings, including Queen Anne’s Lodge, Jolly Brewers public house, 1 Church Lane, and 2 Church Lane, all listed at Grade II.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Prior to then memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
Milton War Memorial was erected in 1922, in memory of sixteen local men who fell in the First World War (1914-18). Following the Second World War (1939-45), the names of six of the fallen were added. The war memorial is shown on the 1927 Ordnance Survey map in a prominent position at the junction of High Street, Church Lane and Fen Road. The memorial was relocated to the corner of Coles Road and Fen Road c1965, when High Street was widened.

Details

Milton War Memorial was unveiled in 1922. The stone monument is square in plan, and takes the form of an obelisk on a tapered plinth, with four angled consoles with scrolled decoration over a single-stepped base and platform. The north-east, south-west and north-west elevations of the plinth are inscribed with the dates of the First World War (1914-18), and the names of sixteen local men who fell in the conflict. The south-east elevation of the plinth is inscribed with the dates of the Second World War (1939-45), and the names of six of the fallen. The memorial measures approximately 4m in height, and is located near the corner of Coles Road and Fen Road.

Sources

Websites
Roll of Honour, accessed 8 July 2015 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/Milton.html
Milton Village, accessed 8 July 2015 from http://www.milton.org.uk/history/opus621.html
War Memorials Register, accessed 8 July 2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/8416
War Memoirals Online, accessed 8 July 2015 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/142326
South Cambridgeshire District Council War Memorials, accessed 26 August 2015 from https://www.scambs.gov.uk/content/war-memorials-map

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