Standish War Memorial

Standish war memorial, Churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas, Standish, Gloucestershire, GL10 3EU

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Overview

A First World War memorial, built in 1920 by Freebury and Hillman of Stroud; altered after the Second World War.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1452256
Date first listed:
01-Dec-2017
List Entry Name:
Standish War Memorial
Statutory Address:
Standish war memorial, Churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas, Standish, Gloucestershire, GL10 3EU
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1452256
Date first listed:
01-Dec-2017
List Entry Name:
Standish War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:
Standish war memorial, Churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas, Standish, Gloucestershire, GL10 3EU

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

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

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

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

Location

Statutory Address:
Standish war memorial, Churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas, Standish, Gloucestershire, GL10 3EU

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

County:
Gloucestershire
District:
Stroud (District Authority)
Parish:
Standish
National Grid Reference:
SO8007008463

Summary

A First World War memorial, built in 1920 by Freebury and Hillman of Stroud; altered after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Standish War Memorial 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:

* for its design, a well-executed stone cross, with good carved detailing by Freebury and Hillman of Stroud.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Nicholas, in whose churchyard it stands, along with a number of listed tombs and memorials, with which it forms a commemorative grouping.

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 750,000 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 Standish, 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 set up in 1920 in a prominent location in the churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas, alongside the main road. It was built by local masons Freebury and Hillman of nearby Stroud. The ceremony of dedication took place on 19 December 1920, during which the memorial was unveiled by Major Sir Lionel Darell, Bart, DSO.

The memorial commemorates nine local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the one man who fell in that conflict.

The war memorial underwent conservation work in 2017, with the help of grant aid administered by the War Memorials Trust.

Details

A First World War memorial, built in 1920 by Freebury and Hillman of Stroud; altered after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Minchinhampton limestone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial consists of a Celtic cross, carved with interlacing. The tapering column terminates in a base set on a two-stepped plinth with platform. The memorial is inscribed on the north side: ERECTED/ BY THE / PARISHIONERS / OF / STANDISH / PAST AND / PRESENT / IN GRATEFUL / MEMORY / OF THE MEN / WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES / FOR THE / FREEDOM / OF THEIR / COUNTRY / DURING THE / GREAT WAR / 1914-1918 / [NAMES] / THEIR NAMES LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.

On the south side: A LATER GENERATION OF / PARISHIONERS HERE PAYS / GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO / GRANVILLE WILLIAM STOPFORD / FLIGHT SERGEANT ROYAL / AIR FORCE WHO GAVE HIS / LIFE IN THE WORLD WAR / 1939-1945.

Sources

Books and journals
Brooks, A, Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire II - The Vale and the Forest of Dean, (2003), 682

Websites
Imperial War Museums War Memorials Register – Standish (32146), accessed 06.11.2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/32146
War Memorials Online Database, Standish WMO200986, accessed 6 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/200986/

Other
‘Standish War Memorial’ in Gloucestershire Chronicle, 25 December 1920

Legal

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

Ordnance survey map of Standish War Memorial

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 18:02:36.

Download a full scale map (PDF)
© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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