Broadhembury Parish Memorial Cross

Summary

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1921, with additions for the Second Boer War (1899-1902) and the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Broadhembury War Memorial, which stands at the road junction in the centre of the village, 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 made in the Boer War and the conflicts of the C20;
    
Architectural interest: 
*     As a simple yet poignant memorial cross standing in a memorial enclosure;

Group value:
*     With The Drewe Arms Including Curved Wall Adjoining At North West (Grade II*) and numerous Grade II-listed buildings.

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.

A memorial cross, as well as a memorial hall, was raised at Broadhembury 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 cross, supplied by Messrs J Easton and Sons of Exeter, was unveiled on 21 August 1921. As well as the details of 12 men who died during the First World War, the cross included the name of one man who had died whilst on service during the Second Boer War. Following the Second World War the names of five men who died in that conflict were added to the cross.

Details

The Devonshire granite cross stands in a small enclosure at the road junction opposite the Drewe Arms (Grade II*-listed), and close to a number of Grade II-listed buildings in the village centre. The plain Latin cross rises from a tapering pedestal, which stands on a two-stepped octagonal base.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the pedestal reads: 1914 – 1919/ IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES/ THAT OTHERS/ MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM/ LET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE TO IT,/ THAT THEIR NAMES BE NOT FORGOTTEN. The First World War names are recorded on faces of the upper step, whilst the Second World War details are recorded on the south face of the pedestal. The Boer War soldier is recorded on the front face of the lower step.

The enclosure, raised from the road level, is demarcated by a rubble-stone wall to the rear with, to the front, low metal posts carrying a spiked chain.


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, 1 September 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25209
War Memorials Online, accessed 1 September 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/248279

Other
“Broadhembury War Memorial”, Western Times, 22 August 1921, p4

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