Summary
First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War
Reasons for Designation
Tarleton 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: a striking design of a fleur-de-lis cross and ornate plinth with high-quality craftsmanship executed throughout.
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 Tarleton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 29 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Following the Second World War, eleven names of those who lost their lives in that conflict were added. The adjacent Holy Trinity Church also contains a window dedicated to service and sacrifice in the two World Wars
Details
MATERIALS: limestone. DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located on the north side of Holy Trinity Church. It stands approximately 4.1m high and comprises a fleur-de-lis cross with the ‘HIS’ Christogram at the centre point of the cross arms carved in relief. The cross is set upon an oblong, chamfered, tapering shaft which stands on an ornate plinth surmounted by a moulded cornice and regular rounded corbels. The octagonal plinth is decorated with gothic tracery, headed by paired trefoils and quatrefoil rosettes of alternating designs, carved in relief and inscribed on four of the eight faces with conflict dates and names. The octagonal, three-stepped base also bears a general dedication. All inscriptions are painted lead incised letters. On the base of the octagonal plinth are inscribed principal battles or campaigns of the First World War, one on each face. Clockwise from the western face these read THE MARNE/ YPRES/ THE SOMME/ SALONICA/ GALLIPOLI/ PALESTINE/ MESOPOTAMIA/ MONS. On the western face, each of the two steps which form the base bear an inscription; that on the upper step reads IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF TARLETON / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WARS / 1914 – 1919 1939 – 1945. The lower step reads THIS EMBLEM OF SACRIFICE / IS DEDICATED BY THEIR COMRADES / AND FELLOW PARISHIONERS. 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, 2 February 2017.
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