Colerne War Memorial

Market Place, Colerne, Wiltshire, SN14 8DF

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Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, 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:: 1450575
Date first listed:: 26-Oct-2017
List Entry Name:: Colerne War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Market Place, Colerne, Wiltshire, SN14 8DF

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1450575
Date first listed:: 26-Oct-2017
List Entry Name:: Colerne War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Market Place, Colerne, Wiltshire, SN14 8DF

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:: Market Place, Colerne, Wiltshire, SN14 8DF

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

District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Colerne
National Grid Reference:: ST8200771160

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Colerne War Memorial, which stands in the Market Place, 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 slender and locally-designed memorial cross in Bath stone;

Group value:

* With the Grade II-listed Walmesley memorial and surrounding railings, numerous adjacent buildings listed at Grade II, and the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I).

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 erected by public subscription in Colerne, in commemoration of 14 local servicemen who died in the First World War. It was designed by local mason Joel Weeks. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 28 November 1920 by the Right Honourable Walter Long MP, Lord Lieutenant of the County and First Lord of the Admiralty.

Following the Second World War an additional dedication marking the deaths of 20 men in that conflict was added. The memorial was restored in 2015, with financial assistance from Corsham Area Board (Wiltshire Council).

Details

Colerne War Memorial stands on a small area of grass on the edge of the Market Place, close to the Walmesley memorial (Grade II) and surrounded by numerous buildings listed at Grade II and the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I).

The Bath stone memorial comprises a tapering Latin cross rising from a moulded collar, on top of a tall octagonal shaft. The cross shaft is set on a large four-sided, tiered plinth with corner buttresses. Each buttress is faced with a blind trefoil arch. The principal faces of the plinth carry the dedication and commemorated names. The memorial has a two-stage sloping base and stands on a square stone slab.

The main inscription reads FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN LASTING MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS VILLAGE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ ERECTED BY/ PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTIONS with below 1939 – 1945/ (2 NAMES). The remaining names commemorated on the plinth faces include the First World War combatants, with the later Second World War casualties listed below the earlier names.

Sources

Websites
Corsham Community Area website, accessed 9 May 2017 from http://corsham.ourcommunitymatters.org.uk/news/the-colerne-war-memorial-project/
War Memorials Online, accessed 9 May 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/216223
War Memorials Register, accessed 9 May 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23959

Legal

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