Dolton War Memorial, including memorial cross and garden walls, railings, gate piers, and gate

Summary

First World War memorial cross and garden, unveiled 1921, with later additions for the Second World War, unveiled 1947.

Reasons for Designation

Dolton War Memorial, including memorial cross and garden walls, railings, gate piers, and gate, in the garden at the junction of South Street and Fore 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: 

*     an imposing wheel-head cross in granite, standing in a memorial garden with contemporary walls, railings, gate piers, and gate.

Group value:

* with numerous Grade II-listed buildings in the environs.

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 Dolton 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 was unveiled on Armistice Day 1921 by Major-General J Campbell CB CMG DSO, commemorating the local servicemen who died in the conflict. The war memorial ensemble including the cross and its railed enclosure cost about £190. Following the Second World War the names of those who had died in that conflict were added, and the new dedication was unveiled on 28 September 1947 by Major Sir RD Furse.

Details

MATERIALS: granite, Dolton stone, ironwork.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a small garden enclosure at the junction of South Street and Fore Street. Numerous Grade II-listed buildings are clustered around this road junction. The c3m tall Dartmoor granite wheel-head cross rises from a pedestal, square on plan, which stands on a square base. The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the pedestal reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN HONOURED/ MEMORY OF MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 -1918/ (NAMES). The commemorated names are recorded by regiment or service, and the Second World War names are listed to one side.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the garden is enclosed by a coped wall, in Dolton stone, carrying hoop-topped iron railings: except to the rear, where the stonework of the wall is raised above the garden’s lawn and is not railed. The cross is approached from street level by a rake of steps leading up from the garden gate: the gate is also formed of hoop-topped rails, with dog rails, and is carried on stone piers with pyramidal caps.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 22 November 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 22 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25901
War Memorials Online, accessed 22 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/248296

Other
“Dolton War Memorial”, Western Times, 19 November 1921, p7

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