Summary
First World War Memorial,1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Benwick War Memorial, unveiled in 1921, is listed for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design interest: the use of contrasting white and bronze materials, and the solid, well proportioned sequence of cuboid shapes topped by a starkly unadorned cross, make the war a striking presence at the centre of the village.
History
Benwick War Memorial, designed by the architect W Sadler and sculpted by Messrs P Whitehead, was unveiled on 10 June 1921. Details of the memorial were published in the Cambridge Times the following week, on the 17 June. The criterion applied to the selection of names for inclusion on the memorial was that they should have attended Benwick day school. The memorial was refurbished in 2006 and the names repainted.
Details
Benwick War Memorial is sited at the corner of the High Street and Lilyholt Road towards the centre of the village. The memorial is constructed of white stone and consists of a Latin cross on a two stepped base set on a two tier plinth: the lower tier of the plinth is a square block with a chamfered upper edge, the upper tier tall and square sectioned. There are contrasting bronze plaques attached to the west, north and south faces of the upper tier: these contain, in black lettering, the names of the 44 men who died in the First World War. There is also a plaque attached to the west face of the lower tier which carries this inscription: THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919 HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP. Carved into the south face are the dates of the Second World War, 1939-1945, below which is a single name. The plinth stands on a two stepped base and the memorial is a surrounded by iron railings with a gated entrance towards the north-west corner.
Sources
Websites http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/Benwick.html https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/142245 http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3476
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
The listed building is shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map: a cross on a squared plinth and two stepped base) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.
End of official list entry
