Copythorne War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Copythorne 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 this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: as an elegant and well-carved Celtic-style granite cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Mary listed at Grade II.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England, 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. One such memorial was erected at Copythorne during the early 1920s to commemorate the fallen from this conflict.

Following the Second World War, the names of those who lost their lives in that war were also added.

The memorial was repaired in 2000.

Details

The war memorial stands in a prominent location beside the main Romsey Road in Copythorne. The memorial comprises a Celtic-style granite cross surmounting a rough-hewn tapered column set on a square plinth. This is set upon a square single-step base.

Inscriptions and names are carved on the north-west face of the plinth; the inscription reads: IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY/ OF THOSE OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919. Underneath are inscribed 34 names of those who lost their lives in the First World War and under those is the inscription: THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.

Lying upon the north-west face of the base is an inclined marble, scroll-style plaque which is inscribed: 1939-1945 and underneath are 18 names of those who lost their lives in the Second World War. Under their names is inscribed: THEY ALSO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ THAT WE MIGHT LIVE.

A gravel enclosure containing a paved area in front of the memorial as well as timber posts and chain fence were later added to protect the memorial; these are not of special interest and are excluded from the listing.


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, 6 December 2016.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 4 Nov 2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/48804
War Memorials Online, accessed 6 December 2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/76400

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