Musbury War Memorial
c15m to the west of St Michael's Church, Musbury, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8BB
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1449907
- Date first listed:
- 19-Oct-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Musbury War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- c15m to the west of St Michael's Church, Musbury, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8BB
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1449907
- Date first listed:
- 19-Oct-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Musbury War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- c15m to the west of St Michael's Church, Musbury, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8BB
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- c15m to the west of St Michael's Church, Musbury, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8BB
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- East Devon (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Musbury
- National Grid Reference:
- SY2753794569
Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Musbury War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Michael, 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 and well-proportioned war memorial in the Classical style.
Group value:
* With the Church of St Michael (Grade I) and Musbury Farm House (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 Musbury 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 memorial cost £51 13s 4d, covered by public subscription of more than £60. It was unveiled and dedicated on 10 April 1921, commemorating eight soldiers killed, and one missing, during the conflict.
Following the Second World War the memorial’s inscription was renewed with a new tablet, continuing the First World War dedication with the details of four men who died between 1939 and 1945: two soldiers and two airmen.
Details
The dark freestone memorial stands on the top of the churchyard wall, to the west of the Church of St Michael (Grade I-listed) and immediately to the right of the churchyard gate. In the manner of a shrine, it takes the form of a memorial tablet fixed onto a raised panel with a pedimented top and two flanking, curved, braces on the sides, defining the shelf to the front (for the placement of floral tributes). The pediment includes a wreath, carved in relief, either side of which are the dates 1914 and 1919.
The inscription reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ FROM THIS PARISH WHO/ FELL IN THE TWO GREAT WARS./ 1914 – 1918/ (8 NAMES)/ MISSING/ (1 NAME)/ 1939 – 1945/ (4 NAMES)/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. The names are recorded with regiment or Service.
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/216126/
War Memorials Register, accessed 22 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25359
Other
“Musbury”, Western Times, 23 September 1921, p8
“Musbury”, Western Times, 24 March1921, p8
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 18-Jun-2026 at 16:27:58.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.