Burgh le Marsh War Memorial

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Burgh le Marsh Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the parish church, 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 tall Calvary cross in Portland stone.

Group value:

* With the Church of St Peter and St Paul (Grade I) and the lych gate and Old Vicarage (both Grade II) and other Grade II-listed buildings in close proximity on the High Street.

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

A ceremony to unveil the Burgh Le Marsh war memorial was held on 14 December 1920. A procession of ex-servicemen and friends and relatives of those who had died were headed by the Burgh Brass Band and a muffled peal of the church bells was tolled. Following a service led by local clergy the memorial was unveiled by Hon Col Thomas Walter Harding DL JP. The mason was Henry Wood of Wainfleet and the memorial was built by local builder Mr Ray of Fotherby. Following the Second World War an additional inscription was added to the memorial.

Details

The war memorial is located by the churchyard path near the entrance to the Church of St Peter and St Paul, close to the Grade II-listed lych gate in sight of The Old Vicarage (Grade II-listed). The memorial faces northwards, towards the High Street. It is a 4.1m tall Calvary cross in Portland Stone. It stands on a square of concrete and has a square base. Above this there is a three-stage plinth: the lowest stage is square on plan, supporting the octagonal middle and upper stages. A carved wreath marks the transition between the middle and upper stages. The cross shaft is octagonal in section with an incised floral design on the east and west sides. The hooded cross-head, rising from a moulded collar, bears the carved figure of Christ crucified.

The memorial inscriptions are found on the sides of the plinth’s upper stage and on four sides of the middle stage, using both applied metal lettering and black-painted incised lettering. On the north face of the middle stage the inscription reads IN PROUD MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF BURGH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 with on the eastern face LIVE THOU FOR ENGLAND/ WE FOR ENGLAND DIED. To the south the inscription continues MAY THEY REST IN PEACE and, to the west, THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.

Commemorated names are listed on the faces of the plinth’s upper stage, with on the southern face [NAMES]/ OF THIS PARISH/GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE WAR OF/ 1939-1945. There is also a faint inscription carved in relief on the cross shaft that is not at present (2017) completely legible: it reads IS IT/ […]/ TO YOU/ ALL YE/ THAT/ PASS/ BY, which is taken from Lamentations 1v12.

Sources

Books and journals
Credland, M, The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire, (2014), p12, p59

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 2 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/207777/
War Memorials Register, accessed 2 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/53960

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