Chulmleigh War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Chulmleigh War Memorial, which stands in The Square, 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: 

*     As an imposing wheel-head cross in the Celtic style, in a local granite.

Group value: with the Church of St Mary Magdalene (Grade I) and numerous Grade II-listed buildings surrounding The Square.

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 Chulmleigh as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Various options for a war memorial had been discussed in Chulmleigh, including improvements for road safety and street-lighting, a new Town Hall, and a lych-gate for the church. The participants in a public meeting held in November 1919 agreed that a memorial cross be erected in the garden in The Square, in central Chulmleigh.

The Merrivale granite cross was supplied by Mr JT Miller (Art Memorial Works, Okehampton). At a well-attended ecumenical service it was unveiled on 9 September 1920 by Lt-Col WP Martin, and dedicated by Reverend A Murray, commemorating 28 local servicemen who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War, the names of the men who had died in that conflict were added.

Details

MATERIALS: granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial cross stands in the garden within The Square, surrounded by a number of Grade II-listed buildings, and The Church of St Mary Magdalene (Grade I). The tall granite wheel-head cross rises from a tapering pedestal, and is about 5m tall. It stands on a three-stepped base. The wheel-head is ornamented with small wheel crosses carved at the intersections of the cross arms and circlet, whilst the cross shaft is demarcated into rough-hewn panels by dressed horizontal lines and vertical borders.

INSCRIPTION: the principal dedicatory inscription to the front (south) face of the pedestal reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF CHULMLEIGH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR KING/ AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ AND 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES). The First World War names are listed on either side of the pedestal, whilst the rear (north) face is inscribed: "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY/ DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."

The garden is enclosed by a brick-capped stone wall, carrying plain railings with simple backstays with curled tops at each standard. The entrance is in the short north wall.
Listing NGR: SS6872014168

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum Database, accessed 17 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25729

Other
'Chulmleigh War Memorial Scheme', Western Times, 14 March 1919, p10
'Chulmleigh War Memorial', Western Times, 28 November 1919, p3
'The Honoured Dead', Western Times, 10 September 1920, p6
'In Memory of Chumleigh Heroes', Western Times, 24 September 1920, p7

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