Castle Ashby War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, designed by JA Gotch.

Reasons for Designation

Castle Ashby War Memorial, standing on a green at the north end of the village, 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 First World War;
* Architectural interest: a well-executed stone cross by the well-regarded Northamptonshire architect JA Gotch;
* Group value: with the Grade II-listed Falcon Hotel.

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 Castle Ashby as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was designed by the well-regarded Northamptonshire architect JA Gotch (1852-1942) and built by Messrs Pullen. Gotch was responsible for a number of war memorials in the region, such as those at Kettering, Burton Latimer, and Titchmarsh (all Grade II-listed). The memorial was unveiled on 31 October 1920 by the Marquis of Northampton and dedicated by the Bishop of Peterborough. It commemorates four men who were killed in action, seven who were wounded, and a further 24 who also served.

Details

The war memorial, of Derbyshire stone, stands on a small green at the north end of the estate village, outside the Falcon Hotel (Grade II). It is a tall, freestanding, cross, the crosshead with lobed ends set on an octagonal shaft. This rises from a square plinth on a three-stepped base. The inscriptions are carried on grey stone tablets set into the plinth. The principal inscription reads TO THE GLORY OF ENGLAND/ AND TO THOSE OF THIS PARISH/ WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE WAR 1914 – 1919./ ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS. The commemorated names are listed on the other three plaques, grouped by those killed in action, those wounded, and the rest who served.


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, 20 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 20 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/38229
War Memorials Online, accessed 20 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/213973

Other
The Northampton Mercury, 5 November 1920

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