Weedon War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Weedon War Memorial, situated at the Wesleyan Chapel on Abbotts 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;
* Architectural interest: an elegant cross in the medieval style.

History

The villages of Weedon and Hardwick fall within the same ecclesiastical parish, and so a joint scheme for war memorials was conceived by the organising committee led by Reverend HB Walton. The design, by an Oxford-based architect, was carried out by Messrs Newman and Harper of Aylesbury. Identical crosses were erected at a cost of £390, of which £345 was raised by public subscription in the two villages. As well as these two crosses, the firm of Newman and Harper was responsible for the construction of a number of war memorials in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

The memorial cross in Weedon was unveiled by Miss Heap, a local resident, and dedicated on 5 May 1921, one week after the unveiling of the cross in Hardwick. The same order of service was followed as at the Hardwick ceremony, led by Reverend BE Hawkins, the Wesleyan minister.

Following the end of the Second World War a plaque was added to the plinth commemorating those who fell in that conflict. Conservation and repair work was carried out in 2014, funded by War Memorials Trust. This included piecing in matching stone to missing stonework.

Details

The memorial stands alongside Weedon Methodist Church. Built of Clipsham stone, it comprises a Latin cross embellished with carved Gothic features including fleur-de-lis extending from the intersection of the cross arms. The moulded cross foot rises from a tall octagonal shaft that stands on a chamfered octagonal plinth. The plinth stands on two octagonal steps on a broad octagonal base. The base has a shallow cornice for the laying of floral tributes.

The front face of the plinth bears an inscription that reads 1914 – 1918/ + TO THE/ GLORY OF/ GOD & IN/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO LAID DOWN THEIR/ LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR. The top step carries the names of those 12 men who died in the First World War. These inscriptions are all incised and carved in a Celtic style typeface.

In addition, two small brass plaques mounted on wooden backs are attached to the plinth, one of which reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ & IN MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918, followed by a list of those who died in the First World War. The second plaque reads SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945, followed by a list of those who died.

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

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 15/05/2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/8037
War Memorials Trust, Grants Showcase - Weedon, accessed 15/05/2015 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1168
Weedon Village Buckinghamshire, History War Memorial, accessed 24/11/2015 from http://www.weedonbucks.org.uk/index.php/village-info/village-history/history-sub1
War Memorials Online, accessed 11 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/115282

Other
“Weedon War Memorial Unveiled”, The Bucks Herald, 7 May 1921, p5

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