Bigbury War Memorial Cross

Summary

First World War memorial cross in granite, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Bigbury War Memorial Cross, which stands in St Lawrence’s 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 memorial cross in granite;

Group value:
* With the Grade II*-listed Church of St Lawrence and the Grade II-listed Gate Piers, Gate and Walls at the east entrance to St Lawrence.

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.

Memorials were raised at Bigbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. A memorial hall was built in the neighbouring hamlet of St Anne’s Chapel, whilst a cross was raised in the churchyard at the parish church. The cross commemorates 11 local servicemen who died in the First World War, and one sailor in the Royal Navy who died in the Second World War.

Details

The granite memorial cross stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Lawrence (Grade II*-listed), close to the Grade II-listed Gate Piers, Gate and Walls at the east entrance to St Lawrence. It takes the form of a Latin cross rising from a plain foot, square on plan, standing on a slightly tapering pedestal. The pedestal stands on a two-stepped base within a low square kerb.

The principal dedicatory inscriptions recorded on the front face of the cross shaft’s foot reads: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ LOVING MEMORY/ OF THOSE WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918. The First World War names are listed to the front face of the pedestal, recorded with rank, service, age and date of death. The single Second World War name is recorded to one side of the pedestal.


This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 22/08/2019

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 12 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/215229/
War Memorials Register, accessed 1 September 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/55579

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