Atherington War Memorial Cross

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Atherington War Memorial, which stands in the 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 this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet poignant granite memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Mary (Grade I) and the Lych Gate and numerous churchyard monuments listed at 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. 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 Atherington 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 unveiled by Colonel LAH Hamilton in May 1920, in commemoration of seven local servicemen who had died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the details of two men who died in that conflict were added.

Details

The memorial cross stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed), overlooking the road through the village. In granite, it takes the form of a tall cross with a Maltese cross head and tapering cross shaft. The cross shaft rises from a plinth, square on plan, which stands on a low step. The front face of the cross is decorated with a further cross shape carved in low relief whilst on the cross shaft a sword, unusually with the hilt downwards, is carved in relief.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the foot of the cross shaft reads TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS/ PARISH WHO FELL IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918. The First World War names are recorded on the front face of the plinth, reading (4 NAMES)/ AND THREE BROTHERS/ (3 NAMES). The Second World War names are recorded in a recessed panel to one side of the plinth, reading 1939 – 1945/ (2 NAMES).

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, 23 November 2017.

Sources

Websites
Devon Heritage, War Memorials, accessed 04/01/2017 from http://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Atherington/ThechurchyardWarMemorialAtherington.htm
War Memorials Register, accessed 04/01/2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25439
War Memorials Online, accessed 23 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/253721

Other
“Memorial to Fallen Heroes at Atherington”, North Devon Journal, 27 May 1920, p8

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