Minety War Memorial

War memorial enclosure, Junction of Silver Street and Hornbury Hill, Silver Street, Minety, Malmesbury, SN16 9QQ

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Overview

First World War memorial obelisk, 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:: 1450968
Date first listed:: 02-Nov-2017
List Entry Name:: Minety War Memorial
Statutory Address:: War memorial enclosure, Junction of Silver Street and Hornbury Hill, Silver Street, Minety, Malmesbury, SN16 9QQ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1450968
Date first listed:: 02-Nov-2017
List Entry Name:: Minety War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: War memorial enclosure, Junction of Silver Street and Hornbury Hill, Silver Street, Minety, Malmesbury, SN16 9QQ

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:: War memorial enclosure, Junction of Silver Street and Hornbury Hill, Silver Street, Minety, Malmesbury, SN16 9QQ

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

District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Minety
National Grid Reference:: SU0261590750

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Minety War Memorial, which stands at the junction of Silver Street and Hornbury 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* A simple yet poignant memorial obelisk 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 erected at Minety 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 first proposal for a memorial was made at a parish council meeting by Councillor Hatton on 15 November 1918. During 1919 a suitable building or structure to be a war memorial was debated locally, whilst public subscriptions were collected. By July of that year it had been resolved to erect a monument, adjacent to the school buildings in the middle of the village.

The land on which the memorial stands was made available by the trustees of the village school. The obelisk was unveiled on 6 March 1920, having been built by Messrs Hughes and Son of Malmesbury. Mrs Gouldsmith unveiled the memorial, which was then dedicated by the vicar, Reverend TA Ludlow-Hewitt. The memorial was later amended to incorporate a reference to those who died during the Second World War.

Details

The memorial stands in a small walled and gated enclosure on the main road through the village, at the junction of Silver Street and Hornbury Hill, adjacent to the former School House and School (unlisted) and opposite the current village school (unlisted).

The memorial is c3m tall and comprises a simple granite obelisk, square in plan, standing on a three-stepped plinth with a two-stepped base. The main inscription is incised on the front face of the obelisk in black-painted lettering, reading DEDICATED/ TO THE MEMORY/ OF THE/ MEN OF/ MINETY/ WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ A.D. 1914 – 1919/ ALSO OF/ THE WAR/ 1939 – 1945. On either side of the obelisk is a biblical quotation taken from the Book of Lamentations.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 25 May 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/157376/
War Memorials Register, accessed 25 May 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/18523
Other
Minety Village Newsletter: August 2014, November 2014, December 2014.

Legal

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