Summary
First World War memorial, dedicated 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Donhead St Mary War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of St John, 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;
* Design: a well executed limestone cross;
* Group value: with the nearby Grade II-listed church of St John.
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, 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
The war memorial stands in a grassed area on the southern side of the churchyard of Donhead St Mary’s Grade II-listed church of St John.
End of official list entry
