Mere War Memorial

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Mere war memorial, which is situated in The Square, 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 with elaborately carved decoration to the cross-head.

Group value:

* with the surrounding Grade II listed buildings including the Clock Tower.

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 Mere as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 48 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It is thought that the memorial was unveiled in 1921.

The names of the 12 parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

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

DESCRIPTION: this memorial is located in The Square at the centre of the town. It is in close proximity to various Grade II listed buildings including the Clock Tower to the west.

The memorial takes the form of a stone Latin cross with elaborately carved square capped arms; sculpted points project at an angle from the centre of the cross between the cross arms. The cross-head is above a moulded collar atop a tapering octagonal shaft with chamfered stops and a square foot. This rises from a chamfered square plinth, which is also curved to the top corners. The plinth surmounts a four-stepped octagonal base.

INSCRIPTION: the inscriptions and names are on plaques of white-coloured stone in leaded lettering. The main inscription is on a plaque affixed to the east face of the plinth and reads, 1914 – 1919/ THEIR NAME/ LIVETH FOR/ EVERMORE. The names of 48 parishioners who died in the First World War are on plaques affixed to the three other faces of the plinth.

An additional inscription is to a stone plaque affixed to the east face of the uppermost step of the base and reads, 1939 – 1945. The names of the 12 parishioners who died during the Second World War are recorded on plaques to the south-east and north-east faces of the uppermost step of the base.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial is enclosed by eight modern metal posts* with a chain* hung between each one.

* Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 30 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23954
War Memorials Online, accessed 30 October 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/160246

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