Colston Bassett War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial created by Farmer and Brindley and unveiled on 22 May 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Colston Bassett War Memorial, created by Farmer and Brindley and unveiled on 22 May 1920, 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an ornate example of a wheel-head cross war memorial, with decorative details incorporating foliate, rose and ribbon designs;
* Designer: created by Farmer and Brindley, a firm of decorative craftsmen providing architectural sculpture for many of the most important architects including work on Sir George Gilbert Scott’s Albert Memorial, London, and Alfred Waterhouse’s Natural History Museum, London, and Town Hall, Manchester;
* Group value: with the Church of St John the Divine listed at Grade II.

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.

One such memorial was raised at Colston Bassett as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates 14 local servicemen who died during the First World War.

It was created by Farmer and Brindley, a firm of decorative craftsmen and church furnishers providing architectural sculpture under contract, founded by William Farmer and William Brindley. They were based at Westminster Bridge Road, London and the firm was active from 1851 to 1929. They provided decorative sculpture for many of the most important architects; their major contracts included work on Sir George Gilbert Scott’s Albert Memorial, London, and Alfred Waterhouse’s Natural History Museum, London, and Town Hall, Manchester.

The war memorial was unveiled and dedicated by the Bishop of Southwell on 22 May 1920.

In 2013 the memorial was cleaned with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Details

MATERIALS: Limestone.

DESCRIPTION: The memorial comprises a wheel cross enriched with foliate carvings and a central rose motif carved in low relief on its front face. The wheel of the cross head is adorned with a carved crossed ribbon design on its front. The arms of the cross and the shaft are octagonal. The shaft rises from a square plinth on a single stepped base.

The inscription on the front of the plinth reads TO THE MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF COLSTON BASSETT/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919. There is a further inscription on the rear face of the plinth which reads: WE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT/ I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE/ I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Trust, accessed 11 May 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=967
War Memorials Online, accessed 11 May 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/133983
War Memorials Register, accessed 11 May 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/27196

Other
The Grantham Journal, 29 May 1920

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