Bardney War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, designed by Charles Edward Marks and unveiled on 19 January 1920, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Bardney 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 this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: an elegant and striking cross in polished red Aberdeen granite sited within its contemporary decorative railed enclosure;
* Group value: with Peter Hancock’s Hospital former almshouses (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 Bardney as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Bardney War Memorial Committee chose a design presented by local builder Charles Edward Marks and the work was executed by sculptor Jesse Boulton of Lincoln at a total cost of £332, raised by public subscriptions. The choice of the Knights Hospitallers cross for the memorial may have been influenced by its visual relationship to the nearby Peter Hancock’s Hospital former almshouses.

Bardney War Memorial was unveiled on 19 January 1920 by Col G E Heneage of Hainton Hall. The memorial commemorates the 123 local servicemen who served in the First World War and returned as well as the 26 who fell. The fenced surround was added later that year.

The names of 14 local servicemen, seven who fell and seven who returned, are commemorated from the Second World War.

Details

MATERIALS: polished red Aberdeen granite and iron railings.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located at the junction of Horncastle Road and Silver Street, Bardney. It consists of a cross with a carved collar upon a tapering octagonal shaft. The shaft is set upon a two-stepped square plinth. The plinth rises from a two-stepped base and each section has a moulded top.

The front face of the top section of the plinth is incised TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF BARDNEY / WHO FELL IN THE WORLD'S WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ ALSO A TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO/ SERVED THEIR KING AND COUNTRY. Beneath this the second section reads NAMES OF THE FALLEN / (NAMES), the names also continue onto the front of the first step and the tread of the second step reads ALSO THOSE WHO FELL IN THE 1939 – 1945 WAR.

The right hand side of the plinth is inscribed with NAMES OF THE MEN WHO SERVED/ (NAMES). The names also run on the rear and left hand sides of the memorial. The right hand side of the top step reads LEST WE FORGET and the front face of the second step is incised ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION. All of the inscriptions are highlighted with white paint.

The memorial is enclosed by ornate low wrought iron railings.

Sources

Books and journals
Credland, M, The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire, (2014)

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 October 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/103777
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 October 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20272

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