Looe War Memorial

The Quay, Fore Street, East Looe, Cornwall, PL13 1DX

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Overview

A stone First World War memorial cross and railings of 1921, with later additions for subsequent conflicts. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1445610
Date first listed:: 11-May-2017
List Entry Name:: Looe War Memorial
Statutory Address:: The Quay, Fore Street, East Looe, Cornwall, PL13 1DX

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1445610
Date first listed:: 11-May-2017
List Entry Name:: Looe War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: The Quay, Fore Street, East Looe, Cornwall, PL13 1DX

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:: The Quay, Fore Street, East Looe, Cornwall, PL13 1DX

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

District:: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Looe
National Grid Reference:: SX2544553571

Summary

A stone First World War memorial cross and railings of 1921, with later additions for subsequent conflicts.

Reasons for Designation

Looe War Memorial and boundary railings 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 and early C21; * Architectural interest: a well-crafted cross design in dressed granite; * Degree of survival: the structure is relatively unaltered; * Group value: with Looe Bridge (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 Looe 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 war memorial to the people of Looe who served, and those who gave their lives, in the First World War was unveiled on 14 May 1921. Following the Second World War, those who fought in that conflict were also commemorated. The railings and grass around the memorial are of unknown date. Lance Corporal Paul Upton, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on 25 February 2009 is also commemorated on the memorial.

Details

A war memorial cross of 1921 date. MATERIALS: of dressed granite. DESCRIPTION: this war memorial cross is on a square plinth and two-stepped square base. The tapering rectangular shaft has a carved Celtic design to the front (E) and rear faces, and is surmounted by a Celtic wheel-head cross. Inserted into each side of the base are scrolled stone tablets with panels in relief inscribed with the names of the fallen from the Second World War. A relief panel on the E face of the plinth is inscribed TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF LOOE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919/ ALSO/ IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION/ OF THE SERVICES/ OF/ THOSE WHO RETURNED. The other faces of the plinth are inscribed with the names of the fallen from the First World War. The scrolled tablet to the E is inscribed TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND / IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF LOOE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945/ ALSO/ IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION/ OF THE SERVICES/ OF/ THOSE WHO RETURNED. The other scrolled tablets are inscribed with the names of the fallen from the Second World War and one from Afghanistan in 2009. The scrolled tablet on the S face reads (NAMES)/ KIA AFGHANISTAN/ 25TH FEBRUARY 2009/ (NAME).

The memorial stands in a garden enclosed by metal railings. Later memorial boards* are fixed to the railings.

* Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

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, 6 June 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 6 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/113994
War Memorials Register, accessed 6 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9373

Legal

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

The listed building is shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.