Wicken War Memorial
The churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist, Church Lane, Wicken, Northamptonshire, MK19 6BU
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1432850
- Date first listed:
- 17-Feb-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Wicken War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- The churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist, Church Lane, Wicken, Northamptonshire, MK19 6BU
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1432850
- Date first listed:
- 17-Feb-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Wicken War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- The churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist, Church Lane, Wicken, Northamptonshire, MK19 6BU
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
- Statutory Address:
- The churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist, Church Lane, Wicken, Northamptonshire, MK19 6BU
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- West Northamptonshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Wicken
- National Grid Reference:
- SP7453139497
Summary
First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Wicken War Memorial, standing in the churchyard to the east of the Church of St John the Evangelist, 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 well-executed stone lantern cross with the additional interest of the figures of a boy and girl to the plinth;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St John the Evangelist and a number of listed churchyard memorials.
History
The memorial to the men of Wicken who fell in the First World War was unveiled by the Rt Hon Lord Penrhyn on 2 March 1920. His eldest son is among those remembered along with two other members of the family. The Bishop of Buckingham dedicated the memorial. Following the Second World War an inscription was added to commemorate those who fell in that conflict.
Details
Wicken War Memorial stands close to the east end of the Grade II*-listed Church of St John the Evangelist. Of Derbyshire stone, it is a c 4m tall lantern cross with a bronze figure of Christ crucified in a niche in the front of the lantern. The cross shaft rises from a moulded plinth with a central tablet carrying the memorial inscription. This is flanked by the kneeling figures of a winged boy and girl, carved in low relief, representing future generations paying homage to the fallen. The inscription reads 1914-1918/ (21 NAMES)/ 1939-1945/ (3 NAMES)/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATITUDE TO THOSE OF THIS VILLAGE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR VICTORY. The stepped base of the memorial is constructed from stone taken from the Wicken estate. A small vase, inscribed BRITISH LEGION/ 1963, stands on the lower step.
This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 17 January 2017.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 17 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/15100
War Memorials Online, accessed 17 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/217950
Other
“Unveiled by Lord Penrhyn at Wicken”, Northampton Mercury, 8 March 1920, p5
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 26-Jun-2026 at 04:47:17.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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