Chardstock War Memorial

Main Street, Chardstock, Axminster, Devon, EX13 7BS

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Overview

First World War memorial cross, with later additions for the Second World War.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1449417
Date first listed:
24-Aug-2017
List Entry Name:
Chardstock War Memorial
Statutory Address:
Main Street, Chardstock, Axminster, Devon, EX13 7BS
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1449417
Date first listed:
24-Aug-2017
List Entry Name:
Chardstock War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:
Main Street, Chardstock, Axminster, Devon, EX13 7BS

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
Main Street, Chardstock, Axminster, Devon, EX13 7BS

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

County:
Devon
District:
East Devon (District Authority)
Parish:
Chardstock
National Grid Reference:
ST3099604427

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Chardstock War Memorial, which stands on Main 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 made in the conflicts of the C20.
    
Architectural interest: 

* A simple yet poignant wheel-head cross.

Group value: with The George Public House including Outbuilding adjoining north east, and The Church of St Andrew (both Grade II*) and Rose Cottage (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. 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 Chardstock as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. In place by June 1921, it commemorates 18 servicemen who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of 10 men who died in that conflict were added.

Details

MATERIALS: stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a small enclosure on the south side of Main Street, about 75m east of the Church of St Andrew and close to The George Inn (both Grade II*-listed). It comprises a short wheel-head cross rising from a tapered pedestal, square on plan, which stands on a single step. The pedestal is rough-hewn on three sides but dressed to the front.

INSCRIPTION: the pedestal bears inscriptions on the front face. The principal dedicatory inscription reads: IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF CHARDSTOCK/ WHO IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919 FACED DEATH/ IN THE CAUSE OF GOD AND THE RIGHT./ BELOW ARE INSCRIBED THE NAMES OF THE FALLEN/ (18 NAMES)/ 1939 – 1945/ (10 NAMES).

A small metal flagpole is fixed by brackets into a socket in the rear face of the pedestal. The cross stands on a concrete surface whilst the surrounding embanked planting beds are retained by a rubble wall. The memorial enclosure is fronted by a rubble wall and centrally-placed wooden gate.


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, 25 September 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 18 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25239
War Memorials Online, accessed 25 September 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/253508

Other
“Chardstock”, Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 24 June 1921, p5

Legal

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

Ordnance survey map of Chardstock War Memorial

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 18:05:09.

Download a full scale map (PDF)
© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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