Woodford Green War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, designed by Sir Charles Nicholson with further inscriptions added after the Second World War and later conflicts.

Reasons for Designation

Woodford Green 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 and well-executed hooded Calvary 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, 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 Woodford Green in 1920 as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars as well as later conflicts. The memorial was designed by Sir Charles Nicholson (1867 – 1949) who was a prominent ecclesiastical architect and was also responsible for Huddersfield War Memorial (Grade II*) and Rugby School War Memorial (Grade II).

In 2009 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust because it had become structurally unstable. The memorial was rededicated in 2011.

Details

First World War memorial, 1920, designed by Sir Charles Nicholson with further inscriptions added after the Second World War and later conflicts.

MATERIALS: timber Calvary with limestone plinth and base and bronze plaque.

DESCRIPTION: Woodford Green War Memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Barnabas. It is in the form of a hooded Calvary with a timber hood and tile covering. On the cross below is a small timber plaque inscribed with INRI, below which is a white figure of Christ.

The memorial is set upon a square limestone plinth on a two-stepped base. On the front face of the plinth is a bronze plaque dedicated to the fallen of the First World War where their names are listed. Two later stone plaques on the rear face of the plinth carry general dedications to the fallen of the Second World War and subsequent conflicts.

The First World War plaque is inscribed JESU MERCY/ 1914 “THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES.” 1919/ (NAMES). The Second World War plaque reads IN PROUD/ MEMORY OF/ ALL THOSE/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY/ IN THE WAR OF/ 1939 – 1945/ R.I.P. The dedication plaque to later conflicts is similarly inscribed IN PROUD/ MEMORY OF/ ALL THOSE/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY/ IN ARMED/ CONFLICT/ SINCE 1945/ R.I.P.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Trust, accessed 21 August 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=829
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 August 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/136857
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 August 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/45624

End of official list entry

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