Cressage War Memorial

Road junction in Village Square, Cressage, Shrewsbury, SY5 6AD

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Overview

A village war memorial of Grinshill sandstone in the form of a Celtic cross, unveiled in 1920. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1444444
Date first listed:: 03-Mar-2017
List Entry Name:: Cressage War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Road junction in Village Square, Cressage, Shrewsbury, SY5 6AD

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1444444
Date first listed:: 03-Mar-2017
List Entry Name:: Cressage War Memorial
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: Road junction in Village Square, Cressage, Shrewsbury, SY5 6AD

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Road junction in Village Square, Cressage, Shrewsbury, SY5 6AD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Cressage
National Grid Reference:: SJ5914804157

Summary

A village war memorial of Grinshill sandstone in the form of a Celtic cross, unveiled in 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Cressage War Memorial, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial, which takes the form of a Celtic cross; * Group value: with Fingerpost Cottage (Grade II) and Old Hall Cottage (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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Cressage 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 in 1920 and altered after 1945 to also commemorate the fallen of the Second World War.

Details

A village war memorial unveiled in 1920.

MATERIALS & PLAN: Grinshill sandstone, hammer dressed, in the form of a Celtic cross with tapered shaft. The tapered base is set on a platform with a single, stepped plinth. The monument is placed at a cross roads at the centre of the village.

The wheelhead of the cross has a central boss with arms which take the form of segments of a circle and a recessed circlet. The tapered base has an inset plaque which reads ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN HONOURED MEMORY / OF THE FOLLOWING MEN / WHO DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1918.’ with 8 names of the fallen below.

On the opposite side of the memorial’s base an inscription has been added to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The inscription reads ‘1939 – 1945/ IN MEMORY OF/ A. MANNING./ F. ROBERTS.’.

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, 10 March 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 10 March 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/238169
War Memorials Register, accessed 10 March 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14023

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.