Instow War Memorial

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Instow War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard, 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 granite cross, standing in a commanding position.

Group value:

* with the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I) and in close proximity to a number of Grade II-listed churchyard monuments and the lych gate.

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 Instow as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

During 1919 local meetings were held to make plans for a suitable war memorial for the village. A proposal to erect the memorial on the quay was turned down in favour of the churchyard: a granite cross was to be put up there, with a tablet in the Wesleyan Chapel, and a “victory memorial” on the quay. The memorial cross was unveiled in May 1921 by Private John Barrett and dedicated by the Bishop of Crediton, in commemoration of the 12 local servicemen who had died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of nine men who died in that conflict were added. The memorial was refurbished in 2014.

Details

The Devon granite memorial stands on high ground in the churchyard of the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I) and in close proximity to a number of Grade II-listed churchyard monuments and the lych gate. It takes the form of a plain Latin cross rising from a small pedestal, square on plan, that stands on a two-stepped octagonal base.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the pedestal reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS/ AND MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR. The commemorated names are listed on the other faces of the pedestal with, above the Second World War names, 1939 - GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY – 1945.


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, 10 November 2017.

Sources

Websites
Devon Heritage, Instow War Memorial, accessed 3 August 2017 from http://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Instow/InstowWarMemorial.htm
War Memorials Register, accessed 10 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25605
War Memorials Online, accessed 10 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/160192

Other
“Instow”, Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 30 October 1919, p1
“Instow War Memorial”, North Devon Journal, 26 May 1921, p6

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