Skirbeck Quarter War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, designed by Temple Moore.

Reasons for Designation

Skirbeck Quarter War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the church of St Thomas, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the First World War;
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial cross by noted architect Temple Moore;
* Degree of survival: the memorial has not been modified for Second World War commemoration, thus retaining its original design intent;
* Group value: with the Grade II-listed church of St Thomas.

History

The Skirbeck Quarter War Memorial was unveiled on 2 October 1921 by Major Sydney Campbell Wright DSO of Woodhall Spa in a ceremony led by the Vicar, attended by ex-servicemen, local Territorials, Sunday-school children and the Salvation Army Band. The memorial was designed by the architect Temple Moore and the masons were Kent of Boston, a well-known Lincolnshire firm of memorial masons. The cost was £220. It commemorates 19 local servicemen who died during the First World War.

Temple Lushington Moore (1856-1920) is known as one of Britain’s foremost church architects of the late-C19 and early-C20. In 1875 he was articled to George Gilbert Scott (junior) and his career was closely associated with Scott’s practice. As well as many secular commissions Moore designed some 40 churches, establishing him as a leading figure in ecclesiastical architecture; he is important for his development of the Gothic revival, made notable by careful planning and attention to proportion. He was responsible for the church of St Thomas, Skirbeck Quarter (Grade II) as well as its war memorial, and the First World War memorials at Sledmere (the Eleanor Cross, Grade I) and Coxwold (Grade II).

Details

The war memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Thomas (Grade II), Skirbeck Quarter, Boston, standing to the south-east of the church within a triangular area next to the path. It is constructed of white stone and takes the form of a tall Latin cross, with IHS carved at the centre of the cross arms, rising from a plinth and three-stepped base.

The cross shaft is square on plan with chamfered edges and small roll stops at the foot. The horizontal cross-beam is the same form, with squared ends carved with a recessed cross. The plinth is square with chamfered corners, broach stops at the base and a canted top. The stepped base is square and undecorated.

The front face of the plinth is inscribed THE/ GALLANT/ DEAD/ 1914 + 1918/ R.I.P. The remaining sides of the plinth are inscribed with the names of the fallen.

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, 23 January 2017.

Sources

Books and journals
Credland, M, The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire, (2014), 18-20, 159

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 30/03/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/59806
War Memorials Online, accessed 23 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/198040

Other
H. S. Goodhart-Rendel, ‘Moore, Temple Lushington (1856–1920)’, rev. Geoffrey K. Brandwood, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35092, accessed 30 March 2016]

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