Buckingham War Memorial

Church of SS Peter & Paul, Castle Street, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1BS

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Overview

First World War memorial of 1920 designed by W Coles and built by J Coles, with remembrance details updated after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1447878
Date first listed:: 05-Jul-2017
List Entry Name:: Buckingham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Church of SS Peter & Paul, Castle Street, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1BS

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1447878
Date first listed:: 05-Jul-2017
List Entry Name:: Buckingham War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Church of SS Peter & Paul, Castle Street, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1BS

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:: Church of SS Peter & Paul, Castle Street, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1BS

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

District:: Buckinghamshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Buckingham
National Grid Reference:: SP6948333808

Summary

First World War memorial of 1920 designed by W Coles and built by J Coles, with remembrance details updated after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Buckingham War Memorial, designed by W Coles, which stands outside the north-east window of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, 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: * An impressive stone monument by a known designer, with decorative foliage carving in relief.

Group value: * With the adjacent Grade I-listed Church of SS Peter and Paul.

History

The war memorial, in remembrance of those from Buckingham who fell in the First World War, was unveiled on 20 May 1920 by the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, and Bishop Suffragan of Buckingham. It was designed by W Coles and built by J Coles. The names of the fallen were incised on the base, and were updated after the Second World War. In the early C21 the monument was cleaned and stone protective bollards were replaced with metal versions, set into a C21 square of stone slabs, neither of which features add to the special interest of the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial,1920 designed by W Coles and built by J Coles, with remembrance details updated after the Second World War.

Materials: Mansfield stone.

Description: the memorial stands in the middle of the access road to the north-east of the Church of SS Peter and Paul in Buckingham.

The carved stone base of the monument consists of a battered plinth over a two-stepped base. The plinth has four faces, which are incised with remembrance mottos and the names of the fallen.

The front face (north) reads: OUR GLORIOUS DEAD /THEIR NAMES SHALL /LIVE FOR EVERMORE /1939-1945, and 24 names of the fallen. The south face reads: TO /THE GLORY OF GOD /AND /IN GRATEFUL MEMORY. The east and west faces each carry the inscribed names of 48 of the fallen. In all 120 Fallen are remembered.

The top of the plinth is surmounted by a moulded square base with carved foliation at the chamfered corners. Above the moulding there are two decorative rings from which a c2m tall octagonal shaft rises to a carved decorative collar with laurel-leaf carving. Above the collar there is a stone cross of c1.5m high and c1m wide. The cross shaft and cross-members are octagonal in profile, and terminated with carved octagonal shields that have foliage in relief. The cross is also supported at its centre by an inset stone wheel.

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, 20 July 2017.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 06/05/2020

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 20 July 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/136129
War Memorials Register, accessed 3 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/7965

Legal

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