Heytesbury War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 11 September 1921, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Heytesbury War Memorial, which is situated in St Peter and St Paul’s 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 simple yet dignified Latin cross memorial influenced by Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Peter and St Paul and the Grade II-listed Ivy House.

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 Heytesbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 12 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was unveiled on 11 September 1921 by Lord Heytesbury, Colonel of the Wiltshire Regiment, and was dedicated by the Reverend A D Clutsom.

The memorial was placed in the churchyard close to the main road through the village; this site was deliberately chosen so that the memorial would be visible to those going about their daily business. Contemporary accounts report that the wall and railings at the corner of the churchyard were lowered and a gate inserted to enable better access to the new memorial from the road. The railings and gate have since been removed.

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to the memorial through the inclusion of a narrow octagonal pedestal between the cross and plinth. The pedestal carries the dates of the conflict and the names of those who died.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: Heytesbury War Memorial is located at the north-east corner of the churchyard of the Church of St Peter and St Paul (Grade I-listed), and is in close proximity to the Grade II-listed Ivy House. The memorial stands on a narrow, square stone platform inset into the ground. A path with planting to either side leads from the memorial to the churchyard wall, which has been lowered to allow access.

The memorial is of Cornish granite and takes the form of a tall octagonal Latin cross with an inverted Sword of Sacrifice carved in relief to the north-east face. The cross shaft terminates in a moulded foot atop a narrow, octagonal pedestal. This surmounts an octagonal plinth upon a two-stepped octagonal base.

The principal inscription is to the north-east face of the plinth, which reads IN/ HONOURED MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF/ THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918. The names of the 12 men who died in the First World War are recorded on the faces of the plinth immediately adjacent to the main inscription, with six names given on each side.

Above the main inscription, on the pedestal are the dates, 1939 – 1945 with the names of the four men who died in the Second World War recorded in pairs on the pedestal faces to either side of the date.

All inscriptions and names are in leaded lettering.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 16 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/24277
War Memorials Online, accessed 16 October 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/99854/
Sedgwick, C. Heytesbury War Memorial, (2015), accessed 16 October 2017 from http://www.wiltshire-opc.org.uk/Items/Heytesbury/Heytesbury%20-%20War%20Memorial.pdf

Other
‘Permanent War Memorial’, The Wiltshire Times (10 September 1921), pp4
'Heytesbury: Unveiling of the Village War Memorial', The Wiltshire Times, (17 September 1921), pp8

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