Summary
First World War memorial, c.1920, with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
Ashwellthorpe War Memorial, which is situated in All Saints’ Churchyard, 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;
* Design: an elegant, well-executed design resembling a Cross of Sacrifice;
* Group value: with the Church of All Saints (Grade I), Church Farmhouse (Grade II) and Hall Farmhouse (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.
Details
Ashwellthorpe war memorial is located on a village green adjacent to All Saint’s churchyard. It is prominently situated near the entrance to the churchyard on a spacious green. The memorial comprises an elegant Cross of Sacrifice style head on an octagonal shaft with moulded lower section, atop an octagonal plinth also with moulded lower section and bearing inscriptions, beneath which is a two-stepped square base. The whole is surrounded by a paved area enclosed by a set of low posts with chains.
End of official list entry
