Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Ovingham War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an imposing and well-proportioned memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Mary (Grade I), a number of listed churchyard monuments, and the Grade II-listed village 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. 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 Ovingham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Details
The memorial stands in the south-east corner of the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I). It takes the form of a tall plain Latin cross in sandstone, rising from an octagonal pedestal. The pedestal stands on a three-stepped base.
End of official list entry
