Birdingbury 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:
- 1429601
- Date first listed:
- 24-Sept-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Birdingbury War Memorial
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1429601
- Date first listed:
- 24-Sept-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Birdingbury War Memorial
- Location Description:
- at the crossroads of Long Itchington Road, Marton Road, Main Street and Leamington Hastings Road, Birdingbury
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:
- Warwickshire
- District:
- Rugby (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Birdingbury
- National Grid Reference:
- SP4312368231
Summary
A First World War memorial, by Thomas H Elliott, stonemason, dedicated in 1921; altered after the Second World War to add the names of the Fallen from that conflict.
Reasons for Designation
Birdingbury War Memorial 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;
* Architectural interest: a robust memorial with a cross of unusual four-sided design.
History
The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on 18 September 1921, to commemorate the members of the parish of Birdingbury who died during the First World War. The costs of £80 had been raised by subscription. The memorial was designed and made by Thomas Elliott, a monumental stonemason from Leamington Spa. A local newspaper, in a piece entitled Birdingbury War Memorial: Sunday’s Unveiling Ceremony, reported:
“The Cross is of Upton Wood stone, and of a unique design, patented by Mr. Thomas Elliott… It stands about 15 feet high, on a massive base, the foundation being of concrete, prepared by voluntary labour. Subscriptions amounting to £80 were raised by the parishioners to defray the cost… We understand that this is the only four-sided cross in England, and standing as it does at a cross-roads, the effect is good”.
Further names were added to the memorial following the end of the Second World War to commemorate those who had fallen. The structure was cleaned and repaired in 2014 with the help of a grant from War Memorials Trust.
Details
A First World War memorial, by Thomas H Elliott, stonemason, dedicated in 1921; altered after the Second World War to add the names of the Fallen from that conflict.
MATERIALS: Upton Wood limestone on a concrete base.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial, which is circa 2.5m high, has a cross with four arms, projecting in four directions, on a diagonally-set four-sided tapering shaft, which stands on a three-stepped plinth. The plinth is inscribed on all four sides, the inscriptions picked out in inlaid bronze lettering. On three sides: TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN MEMORY OF / THOSE FROM THIS PARISH / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1918, followed by the names of the Fallen; then FOR KING AND COUNTRY. The rear face is inscribed 1939 – 1945 followed by the names of those who died in the Second World War. The plinth stands on a wide, high square base, into which is set four elaborate cast-iron posts on stone bases, with a chain-link fence slung between them.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 17.08.2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19192
War Memorials Online, accessed 17 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/104836
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 09-Jun-2026 at 21:29:37.
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.