Oakford War Memorial

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Oakford War Memorial, which stands on Rookery Hill, 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 war memorial cross in granite.

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 Oakford 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 plot for the cross was given by Mr Charles Spurway whilst the cross itself was paid for by public subscription. The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on 20 April 1920 by the Bishop of Zululand, commemorating 8 local servicemen who had died (their names recorded on a wooden board in the parish church). Following the Second World War a further inscription marking that conflict was added, and latterly a small brass plaque listing the names of both the First and the Second World War casualties has been added.

Details

The granite memorial stands on the north side of Rookery Hill, about 20m to the east of the junction with Crosspark Hill. It takes the form of a plain Latin cross, octagonal in section, with a broach-stopped foot. The cross stands on a two-stage base, which is raised from road level by a large rubble-stone block. A small stepped area on the west side, with a curved dwarf wall, provides access.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the upper stage of the base reads THIS CROSS IS SET UP/ IN HONOURED REMEMBRANCE OF/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN DEFENCE/ OF THEIR COUNTRY AND EMPIRE/ 1914 – 1919/ 1939 – 1945. It continues on the next stage, “IN SORROW, IN GRATITUDE, IN HOPE.” The inscriptions are in applied metal letters and figures. A small brass plaque fixed to the lower stage of the base reads 1914 – 1918/ (8 NAMES)/ 1939 – 1945/ (4 NAMES).

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 22 November 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 15 August 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/227293/
War Memorials Register, accessed 22 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25345

Other
“Oakford”, Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 23 April 1920, p14

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