Gawcott War Memorial

Holy Trinity Churchyard, Church Street, Gawcott, Buckinghamshire

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, designed by W Coles and unveiled 23 April 1922, with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1449799
Date first listed:: 19-Oct-2017
List Entry Name:: Gawcott War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Holy Trinity Churchyard, Church Street, Gawcott, Buckinghamshire

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1449799
Date first listed:: 19-Oct-2017
List Entry Name:: Gawcott War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Holy Trinity Churchyard, Church Street, Gawcott, Buckinghamshire

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

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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:: Holy Trinity Churchyard, Church Street, Gawcott, Buckinghamshire

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

District:: Buckinghamshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Gawcott with Lenborough
National Grid Reference:: SP6798231837

Summary

First World War memorial, designed by W Coles and unveiled 23 April 1922, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Gawcott war memorial, which is situated in Holy Trinity 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* A well-executed wheel-head cross.

Group value:

* With the Grade II*-listed Church of Holy Trinity.

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 Gawcott as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 18 members of the local community who died in service during the First World War. It was unveiled on 23 April 1922 by Major-General Sir George Scott Moncrieff. The designer was W Coles who also created the Grade II-listed war memorial outside the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Buckingham.

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the two casualties of that conflict.

Details

First World War memorial, 1922, with later additions for the Second World War.

DESCRIPTION: Gawcott War Memorial is located within the churchyard to the north of the Grade II*-listed Church of Holy Trinity.

The memorial is of rough-hewn stone and takes the form of a wheel-head cross on a tapering shaft rising from a tapering, square plinth on a single-step base. The principal inscription is on the west face of the plinth to an inset, smooth stone panel. All lettering is in lead.

The principal inscription reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE/ 1914 – 1919/ (18 NAMES)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS.

A further inscription commemorating the Second World War is located on an inset panel to the east face of the plinth AND/ IN GRATEFUL/ REMEMBRANCE/ 1939 – 1945/ (2 NAMES).

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 10 August 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/147805
War Memorials Register, accessed 10 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/8069
Other
‘Notes & News’, Bucks Herald, (29 April 1922), pp5

Legal

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