Altarnun War Memorial
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1448683
- Date first listed:
- 12-Sept-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Altarnun War Memorial
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1448683
- Date first listed:
- 12-Sept-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Altarnun War Memorial
- Location Description:
- 3m south-east of Altarnun Bridge, Altarnun, Cornwall
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Altarnun
- National Grid Reference:
- SX2232081285
Summary
War memorial, erected after the First World War; altered by the addition of names of the Fallen of the Second World War after 1945.
Reasons for Designation
Altarnun War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* It is a well-carved commemorative structure which displays good detailing, and remains in its original location.
Historic interest:
* As an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First and Second World Wars.
Group value:
* With a number of listed buildings including the Church of St Nonna (Grade I) and Altarnun 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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 in Altarnun to the south-east of the Church of St Nonna (Grade I) and alongside Altarnun Bridge (Grade II) in memory of the 10 local men who lost their lives during the conflict and also to honour all those from the parish who served and survived the war. After the Second World War, the names of the men of the parish who died in that conflict were added to the memorial.
Details
First World War memorial, further names were added after the Second World War.
MATERIALS: it is constructed of granite stone supplied by the Bodmin Granite Co.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of Celtic-wheel cross on a tapering shaft; the latter with a relief carving of a sword and, in raised lettering, the inscription: PRO PATRIA / MORI, and 1914-1918. The names of the Fallen from the Second World War and the dates 1939-1945 have been added to the base of the shaft. The shaft stands on a large pedestal with inscriptions to three sides. Side one (south-east): ERECTED BY THE / PARISHIONERS AND FRIENDS / OF ALTARNUN. / TO THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE FALLEN / AND IN HONOUR OF ALL / THOSE WHO SERVED FROM THIS PARISH. / THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR / KING AND COUNTRY. / (NAMES) / R.I.P. Sides two and three are inscribed with the names (96) of those who served during the First World War and survived, and are remembered for their honourable service. The pedestal stands on a rough-hewn rectangular base which itself stands on a stone slab.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial is tightly enclosed by replacement metal railings.*
* Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the replacement metal railings are not of special architectural or historic interest and are not included in the listing.
Sources
Websites
12973 Altarnun Memorial, Imperial War Museum UK War Memorials Inventory, accessed 6 July 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk_www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/12973
War Memorials Online, accessed 25 September 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/234661
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(s) is/are shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (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.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 21-Jun-2026 at 10:26:27.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.