Lydiard Millicent War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial.

Reasons for Designation

Lydiard Millicent War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints, 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 sacrifices it has made in the First World War;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet poignant memorial cross;
* Degree of survival: unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent;
* Group value: with the Church of All Saints (Grade II*) and a number of Grade II-listed churchyard monuments.

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 the country. This was the 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 Lydiard Millicent as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 13 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. A wooden board recording not only those who died, but all who served, was put up in the parish church in 1920, whilst outside in the churchyard a memorial cross was erected.

Details

The war memorial cross stands in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints (Grade II*-listed), in close proximity to a number of listed monuments including the medieval churchyard cross. The war memorial takes the form of a rough-hewn granite wheel-head cross. A reversed sword is carved in low relief on the front face of the cross. The cross shaft rises from a tapering pedestal, that stands on a stone step.

The inscription, in applied metal lettering, begins at the foot of the cross shaft, reading TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ MEMORY OF with the commemorated names listed below on the front face of the pedestal. The 13 names, recorded with rank and regiment, are followed by the inscription “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.”

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, 16 December 2016.

Sources

Websites
Roll of Honour, Wiltshire - Lydiard Millicent, accessed 22/08/2016 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Wiltshire/LydiardMillicent.html
War Memorials Register, accessed 16/12/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/24147
War Memorials Online, accessed 16/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/131434

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