Willingham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled and dedicated in 1921, with Second World War additions. It was sculpted by T Robinson and Sons of Runcorn.

Reasons for Designation

Willingham war memorial, unveiled and dedicated in 1921, with Second World War additions, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;

* Design interest: as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial which takes the form of a Celtic wheel-head cross;

* Group value: with the Church of St Mary and All Saints (listed Grade I).

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. One such memorial was erected in Willingham to honour the 36 men of the parish who died during the conflict. The idea of a parish war memorial was first considered at a public meeting on 14 November 1919 when it was decided to erect a large, Celtic cross in Willingham village cemetery. At a subsequent meeting of the war memorial committee on 3 February 1920 it was decided to accept the estimate of Messrs T Robinson and Sons, Runcorn, for the erection of a Celtic memorial in Cornish granite, for the sum of £197. It was unveiled and dedicated on 2 January 1921. Following the Second World War a second dedicatory inscription was added to commemorate the seven local men who died during this conflict.

Details

First world war memorial, unveiled and dedicated in 1921, with Second World War additions. It was sculpted by T Robinson and Sons of Runcorn.

MATERIALS: of rock-faced granite.

PLAN: it is square on plan.

DETAILS: the memorial takes the form of a Celtic wheel-head cross that stands at the intersection of two footpaths in Willingham village cemetery. It comprises a two-step base, a trapezoidal plinth and a tall shaft which tapers in rectangular section to a Celtic wheel-head cross. All the stonework is of rock-faced rustication. Inscribed on the west face of the plinth is the First World War dedicatory inscription which reads 'THIS CROSS WAS ERECTED / IN / GRATEFUL AND HONOURED MEMORY OF / THOSE FROM THIS PARISH / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 - 1919. / GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS / THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS'. The names on the men who died are inscribed on the north and south faces. The east face of the plinth bears the Second World War dedication which reads 'ALSO / WORLD WAR II / 1939 - 45 / [names].


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, 16 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 5 February 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3578
War Memorials Online, accessed 16 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/142129

Other
Cambridge Independent Press, 21 November 1919
Cambridge Independent Press, 20 February 1920
Cambridge Independent Press, 31 December 1920

End of official list entry

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