Staplecross War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Staplecross War Memorial, situated at the junction of Forge Lane and Northiam Road, 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;
* Architectural interest: the carved lion on top of the memorial is well executed and striking;
* Group value: with a number of surrounding Grade II-listed buildings including The Cross Inn.

History

A meeting of the Ewhurst Post of the Comrades of the Great War in Staplecross held in April 1919 decided that memorials to the fallen of Ewhurst should be erected in both Ewhurst and Staplecross. In Staplecross the land on which to erect a memorial was donated by JJ Crouch, the form of the memorial (which was carved by Alfred Thornton, a monumental mason from Hailsham) being suggested by a local resident. It was unveiled on 15 May 1921 by Lt Col Corrie DSO with Bishop Gregory in attendance, commemorating 21 local servicemen who had died during the First World War.

In 1922 the memorial was enclosed with a spiked chain hung between four stone pillars. Following the Second World War the names of a further nine men who died in that conflict were added.

The memorial in Ewhurst is a cross in the churchyard of St James the Greater: the names of the fallen appear on both memorials – an unusual occurrence.

Details

The memorial stands on the verge at the junction of Forge Lane and Northiam Road. In Portland stone and some 3m high, it comprises a tapered stone column surmounted by a couchant lion baring his teeth. Beneath the lion is a small county shield.

Below the lion is incised THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE. On a stone panel and carved in relief on the front face of the column the principal dedicatory inscription reads IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THE PARISH/ OF EWHURST/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918./ (21 NAMES). Below this a later panel reads ALSO IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL/ IN THE SECOND GREAT WAR 1939-1945/ (9 NAMES).

There is a small paved surround defined by a chain supported on four low stone pillars.


This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 1 December 2016.

Sources

Books and journals
Nicholas, Antram, Nikolaus, Pevsner, The Buildings of England Sussex: East, (2012), 628

Websites
Roll of Honour, Sussex - Ewhurst, accessed 14/05/2016 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Sussex/Ewhurst.html
War Memorials Register, accessed 01/12/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/17081
War Memorials Online, accessed 01/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/143248

Other
Hastings and St Leonards Observer, 3 May 1919, p3; 3 June 1922, p2
Sussex Agricultural Express 16 April 1920, p10; 7 May 1920, p9; 22 October 1920, p10; 20 May 1921, p9; 16 December 1921, p9; 4 April 1924, p7

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