Summary
Datchworth war memorial was erected in 1919 and dedicated to the fallen of the First World War with later inscriptions added to commemorate those who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Datchworth war memorial, unveiled in October 1919, set within the grounds of the Church of All Saints, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
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.
Details
Datchworth war memorial was erected in 1919 in the grounds of the Church of All Saints, set off Bury Lane. The Portland stone monument measures approximately 3.5 metres in height, is square in plan and takes the form of a tapering obelisk set on a plinth, surmounting a three-stepped base and platform. The stone obelisk has chamfered corners and the upper portion of the frontal elevation features a carved relief of a sword and a laurel wreath.
End of official list entry
