Summary
First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Hale Barns and Ringway War Memorial, which stands at the junction of Wicker Lane and Hale 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 this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial cross.
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, as a result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Hale Barns as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 26 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of eight men who died in that conflict were added.
Details
The stone memorial stands at the junction of Wicker Lane and Hale Road. It takes the form of a wheel-head cross raised on a tapered octagonal shaft. The shaft stands on a pedestal, square on plan and chamfered, that stands on an octagonal base.
End of official list entry
