Buckland War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, created by Ebbutt and Sons of Croydon, and unveiled on 11 July 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Buckland War Memorial, unveiled 11 July 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: a simple yet dignified granite wheel-head cross with Sword of Sacrifice;
* Group value: with the Church of St Mary the Virgin (Grade II) and the listed barn opposite (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 Buckland as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War and it commemorates seven fallen local men.

Buckland War Memorial was created by Ebbutt and Sons of Croydon and was unveiled by Colonel Sir Percival Marling V C, C B on 11 July 1920. It was dedicated by the Right Reverend Lord Bishop of Sheffield, previously the vicar of nearby Dorking.

On 9 November 1947 the memorial was re-dedicated following the addition of the 13 names from the Second World War.

In 2013 the lettering on the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Details

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: The war memorial consists of a rough-hewn granite wheel-head cross on a tapered shaft bearing a Sword of Sacrifice in relief on its front face. It stands some 3.6m high.

It is set upon a tapered plinth, square in plan, which bears the leaded inscriptions on polished panels. The south face inscription reads: 1914 – 1918 / IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF BUCKLAND / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR / (NAMES). The north face has a further inscription which reads 1939 – 1945 / THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES / (NAMES).

This is set upon a square single-step base.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 5 December 2016.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Trust, accessed 9 June 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1047
War Memorials Register, accessed 5 December 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23377
War Memorials Online, accessed 9 June 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/100742

Other
Day, J, A Buckland Memorial (2015)

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