East Grafton War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

East Grafton War Memorial, which is situated outside St Nicholas’ 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 conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* a well-executed Celtic wheel-head cross with finely carved, interlaced knot work designs to the cross-head and shaft.

Group value:

* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Nicholas and the associated Grade II-listed Lychgate and Railings at the churchyard entrance.

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 East Grafton 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 was presumably erected not long after the end of the First World War, and was dedicated to the 19 local service men who died in the conflict. It was built by Lloyds of Great Bedwyn.

The names of the six parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: East Grafton War Memorial is located in the centre of a gravelled path in a circular area of landscaping immediately adjacent to the Grade II-listed Lychgate and Railings at the entrance to the parish churchyard. To the south-east is the Grade II*-listed Church of St Nicholas.

The memorial is of granite and takes the form of a tall, Celtic wheel-head cross with interlaced knot work designs carved in relief to the cross-head and part of the shaft. The segments of the wheel between the cross arms carry the inscription, TO THE/ GLORY/ OF/ GOD in incised lettering. The cross rises from a tapering four-sided plinth, which surmounts a rectangular single-step base. The outward faces of the base are of roughly-dressed stone carved with diagonal lines.

The inscriptions and names are on the plinth in incised lettering. The north-west face reads IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES WHILE/ SERVING DURING THE WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ (6 NAMES). The names of those who died in the First World War are recorded on the south-east face of the plinth, which reads 1914 – 1918/ (19 NAMES).

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 16 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/55712
War Memorials Online, accessed 16 October 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/250897
Sedgwick, C, ‘East Grafton War Memorial’, (2015), accessed 16 October 2017 from http://www.wiltshire-opc.org.uk/Items/Great%20Bedwyn/Great%20Bedwyn%20-%20East%20Grafton%20-%20War%20Memorial.pdf

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