Bloxham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial designed by Lawrence Turner, unveiled 26 September 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Bloxham War Memorial 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: an ornate and striking wheel-head cross with carved decorative details;
* Designer: Lawrence Turner, well-known for his stone carving;
* Group value: with the Thatched Cottage, Joiners Arms Public House and Crossways (all 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 Bloxham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Bloxham War Memorial was funded by house-to-house collections with the remaining balance donated to the Horton Infirmary. The memorial cross was designed and sculpted by Lawrence Turner (1864-1957) who also sculpted Cound War Memorial and Iver War Memorial. His list of commissions also includes: tombs for William Morris, Kelmscott Churchyard (designed by Philip Webb), and for Norman Shaw, Hampstead Old Churchyard (designed by Ernest Newton); the stone carving and decorative plasterwork in Rhodes House, Oxford, and Church House, Westminster; internal plaster and wood carving at Africa House, Trafalgar Square; and stone and wood carvings at Downing College, Cambridge.

The local building firm J F Booth and Son of Banbury built the base of Bloxham War Memorial. It was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday 26 September 1920. Mr W Bradford (the chairman of the memorial committee) introduced Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Rhys Williams Bart MP who unveiled the war memorial. Mr H Eagles, a representative of the Bloxham Wesleyan Church, gave the opening address and Rev O K Evans read the appointed prayer.

Details

MATERIALS: Horton stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands at 5.5m high and comprises a wheel-head cross with decorative details set on a spiral-twisted Doric column upon a square plinth. The plinth bears the inscriptions on slate plaques. The south plaque reads 1914 – 1919/ THEY GAVE - WE HAVE/ THE GREAT WARS/ 1939 – 1945. The east plaque reads 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES). The other two plinth faces carry further plaques bearing names.

The memorial is set upon a circular three-stepped base upon a paved platform.

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, 11 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 5 June 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/26581
War Memorials Online, accessed 11 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/197938

Other
‘Dedication of the War Memorial at Bloxham’, Banbury Guardian, 30 September 1920, p.7
‘Bloxham’, Banbury Advertiser, 18 November 1926, p.8

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