Lympstone War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1923, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Lympstone War Memorial, which stands on Church Road, 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 well-proportioned memorial cross in granite, including a screen wall, designed by H Read of the St Sidwell Art Works (Exeter).

Group value:

* With the Parish Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grade II*-listed) and Bellhangers (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 Lympstone as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 27 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was designed by Mr H Read (junior) of St Sidwell’s Art Works, Exeter. It was unveiled on 8 April 1923 by Brigadier-General Stirling CB CMG, and dedicated by the Bishop of Crediton. Following the Second World War the names of four men who died in that conflict were added.

H Read (1885 – 1951) was responsible for several war memorials, including the cross at Lapford (1919) and the screen and reredos (1920, designed by Sydney Greenslade) at the Church of St Peter, Tiverton (Grade I). Continuing his father’s business, Read produced numerous church fittings following the First World War and is particularly noted for his work salvaging and preserving ecclesiastical fabric during the Second World War, such as securing the Bishop’s throne at Exeter Cathedral, and dismantling, and later re-erecting, churches in the Slapton Sands district to protect them from damage during military rehearsals for the Normandy landings.

Details

MATERIALS: Cornish granite screen wall and memorial cross.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands on Church Road, c17m to the south-west of the Parish Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grade II*-listed) and opposite a number of Grade II-listed buildings. It takes the form of a tall cross standing in front of a curved screen wall.

The plain Latin granite cross, with slightly splayed cross arms, rises from a shouldered pedestal that stands on a stepped base. The curved wall, built of coursed granite blocks with simple flat coping, encloses the rear of the cross.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the pedestal reads I STAND/ TO THE MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF LYMPSTONE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918. On the central section of the screen wall behind a further inscription reads, to the left, LIVE YE/ FOR/ ENGLAND, and to the right, WE FOR/ ENGLAND/ DIED. The commemorated names are listed alphabetically on the left and right wings of the wall. The later Second World War inscription, reading 1939 – 1945/ (4 NAMES) is recorded on a slightly sloping tablet fixed to the upper step of the base.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 9 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25350
War Memorials Online, accessed 9 August 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/98798/

Other
“Cross of Sacrifice. Lympstone Memorial.”, Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 9 April 1923, p5

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.

Print the official list entry