Tarvin War Memorial

Church Street, Tarvin, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 8EB

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, within an enclosure, with further names added after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1439584
Date first listed:: 11-Nov-2016
List Entry Name:: Tarvin War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Church Street, Tarvin, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 8EB

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1439584
Date first listed:: 11-Nov-2016
List Entry Name:: Tarvin War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Church Street, Tarvin, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 8EB

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Church Street, Tarvin, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 8EB

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Tarvin
National Grid Reference:: SJ4913366954

Summary

First World War memorial, within an enclosure, with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Tarvin 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 decorated wheel-head cross sited within its original well-executed enclosure; * Group value: with the Church of St Andrew (Grade I), gates and gate piers to the churchyard (Grade II), and Church House (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 Tarvin as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Tarvin Parish Council set up a public subscription fund for the erection of their war memorial and it was unveiled in 1920 commemorating 22 soldiers who fell in the First World War.

An additional three names were later added for those who fell in the Second World War.

The memorial was cleaned and conserved in 2008 and in 2014.

Details

First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920.

MATERIALS: sandstone memorial and enclosure, bronze plaques.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a wheel-head cross with carved decorative details set upon a tapering shaft. It stands on an octagonal plinth on an octagonal three-stepped base.

The plinth carries three bronze plaques which bear the names of those that fell during the First World War incorporating Tudor Rose motifs.

The upper step of the base has three bronze plaques on the front-facing sides. These plaques commemorate three soldiers from the district who fell in the Second World War. The inscription on the first plaque, left of the central plaque reads ALSO OF THOSE WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE 1939 – 1945 WAR. The central bronze plaque lists the three names. The bronze plaque to the right is inscribed THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE.

The memorial is situated in an enclosure raised above the pavement and defined by low sandstone walls and four pillars carrying a chain-link fence. Two pillars support an inscribed tablet facing the main road which reads THIS MEMORIAL/ WAS ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE MEN OF THIS VILLAGE AND DISTRICT/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE RIGHT IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. ST JOHN XV.13. A further two stone pillars to one side support the metal entrance gate to the enclosure.

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, 26 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 26 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/201205
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 August 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9849
Other
‘Tarvin War Memorial’, Tarvin Newsletter, 10 November 2014

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.