Zeals War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, dedicated 11 July 1920, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Zeals War Memorial, which is situated on Zeals Green, 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 Latin cross memorial designed to represent the fallen upholding righteousness through the contrast of the rough-hewn stone base supporting the sculpted cross.

Group value:

* with the Grade II listed The Cottage and the Grade II* listed Church of St Martin.

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 Zeals 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 designed by the parish Rector, S F Handcock, whose concept was for a base comprised of rough stone blocks to symbolise the broken and unfinished lives of all the men who fell in the war; seven stones form the upper step of the base, one for each of the Zeals’ men who died in the conflict. This is contrasted with the sculpted stone cross representing righteousness, which the men died to uphold. The stone for the cross came from the Tisbury quarries. The memorial was dedicated by Rector Handcock on 11 July 1920. It cost £121 2s 1d and the money was raised via festivities, church offerings and donations.

The name of the single casualty from the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions

DESCRIPTION: Zeals war memorial is located on the south-west corner of the village green at a road junction, close to the centre of the village. To the north-east, on the opposite side of the road, is the Grade II-listed The Cottage while to the north-west is the Grade II* listed Church of St Martin.

The memorial takes the form of a stone Latin cross with a tapering octagonal shaft with chamfered stops and a square foot. This rises from a chamfered octagonal plinth with moulded foot, which surmounts a rough-hewn, three-stepped, coursed, Chilmark stone base; the top step is comprised of seven stones and the lower two steps are octagonal. All lettering is incised.

INSCRIPTION: the main inscription is to the smooth, south-west face of the uppermost step and reads: THIS CROSS STANDS/ IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF ZEALS/ AND OF ALL PATRIOTS/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. The names of the seven local servicemen who died are recorded on the plinth directly above the inscription.

The Second World War dedication is recorded on the west face of the plinth, 1939 - 1945/ (NAME).

The memorial stands on a small, square area of irregular paving.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 31 January 2018.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/24134
Sedgwick, C, Zeals War Memorial, (2015), accessed 27 October 2017 from http://www.wiltshire-opc.org.uk/Items/Zeals/Zeals%20-%20War%20Memorial.pdf
War Memorials Online, accessed 31 January 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/242481

Other
Handcock, S F, Address by the Rector, (4 August 1920)

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