Bowden Hill War Memorial Cross

St Anne's churchyard, Bowden Hill, Lacock, Wiltshire, SN15 2PP

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Overview

First World War memorial granite cross, unveiled 1920. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1451013
Date first listed:: 08-Nov-2017
List Entry Name:: Bowden Hill War Memorial Cross
Statutory Address:: St Anne's churchyard, Bowden Hill, Lacock, Wiltshire, SN15 2PP

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1451013
Date first listed:: 08-Nov-2017
List Entry Name:: Bowden Hill War Memorial Cross
Statutory Address 1:: St Anne's churchyard, Bowden Hill, Lacock, Wiltshire, SN15 2PP

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:: St Anne's churchyard, Bowden Hill, Lacock, Wiltshire, SN15 2PP

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

District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Lacock
National Grid Reference:: ST9377567938

Summary

First World War memorial granite cross, unveiled 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Bowden Hill War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard, 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* A simple yet poignant granite memorial cross in the Celtic style;

* Unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.

Group value:

* With the Church of St Anne (Grade II), the Harris Monument (Grade II) and The Conduit 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 erected in the churchyard at Bowden Hill as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 10 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was unveiled on 29 August 1920 by Mr Gladstone, churchwarden, and dedicated by Reverend WAS Merewether. Forty-five parishioners had served during the war. A tablet inside the church, to two members of the Merewether family, was also unveiled and dedicated during the ceremony.

Details

The memorial stands in the north-eastern corner of the churchyard of the Church of St Anne (Grade II), where it faces outwards towards one the main road junctions in the village. The churchyard also contains the Harris monument (Grade II), whilst The Conduit House (Grade II*) stands in the opposite field to the north.

The memorial is about 2.5m tall and comprises a simple rough-hewn Cornish granite wheel-head cross, set on a square plinth. The centre of the Maltese cross head is ornamented with a carved hemispherical boss. The memorial stands on a small square base set flush with the ground.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the north face of the plinth is in applied metal letters and reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF OUR NOBLE DEAD/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919./ (10 NAMES)/ "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE".

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 19 May 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/148954/
War Memorials Register, accessed 19 May 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23899
Other
“Bowden Hill War Memorials. Dedication of cross and tablet”, Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 4 September 1920, p5

Legal

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