Essendon War Memorial

Summary

A First World War memorial with later Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Essendon war memorial, which is situated on a paved area at the junction of High Road and Church Street, 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 elegant wheel-head cross with finely carved fleur-de-lis detailing.

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 Essendon as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 25 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was presumably erected not long after the end of the war and was in-situ by the Ordnance Survey County Series 25in map published in 1924.

Following the Second World War, a stone tablet was added in dedication to the seven members of the community who died during that conflict.

Details

A First World War memorial with later Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: limestone.

DESCRIPTION: Essendon war memorial is located near the centre of the village on top of a hill. It stands within a paved area at the junction of High Road and Church Street. It consists of a limestone wheel-head cross with fleur-de-lis detailing to the four segments of the wheel. The cross has a tapering octagonal shaft with moulded foot; this rises from an octagonal plinth on a three-stepped base. The plinth has a moulded cap and foot and carries the principal inscription and names.

INSCRIPTION: the front (south) face of the plinth has the inscription: FOR GOD,/ KING AND COUNTRY/ 1914 – 1918. The 25 names are recorded on the faces of the plinth to either side of the inscription and the west face. Attached to the middle step of the base facing south is a stone tablet with chamfered top corners; an inset panel carries the Second World War dedication, which reads: 1939 – 1945/ (7 NAMES). All lettering is incised and painted black.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The memorial is within a small paved area bounded by a low brick wall.

Sources

Websites
Roll of Honour, accessed 27 June 2017 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Hertfordshire/Essendon.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/121387
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/1123

Other
OS Map 25” (1924 edn)

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