Ashbury War Memorial

Ashbury War Memorial, Junction of Chapel Road and Idstone Road, Ashbury, Oxfordshire, SN6 8LN

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Explore this list entry

Overview

A First World War memorial, 1921, with additions for later conflicts.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1452788
Date first listed:
29-Jan-2018
List Entry Name:
Ashbury War Memorial
Statutory Address:
Ashbury War Memorial, Junction of Chapel Road and Idstone Road, Ashbury, Oxfordshire, SN6 8LN
User submitted image
Contributed by War Memorials Online This photo may not represent the current condition of the site. Over 400,000 images and stories have been added to the Missing Pieces Project so far. Share your story.
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places. 

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

Icon Buildings
Icon Scheduled monuments
Icon Parks and gardens
Icon Battlefields
Icon Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Local Heritage Hub

Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.

Discover more

Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1452788
Date first listed:
29-Jan-2018
List Entry Name:
Ashbury War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:
Ashbury War Memorial, Junction of Chapel Road and Idstone Road, Ashbury, Oxfordshire, SN6 8LN

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:
Ashbury War Memorial, Junction of Chapel Road and Idstone Road, Ashbury, Oxfordshire, SN6 8LN

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

County:
Oxfordshire
District:
Vale of White Horse (District Authority)
Parish:
Ashbury
National Grid Reference:
SU2640485069

Summary

A First World War memorial, 1921, with additions for later conflicts.

Reasons for Designation

Ashbury War Memorial, erected in 1921, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Group value:

* with three Grade II listed cottages which face the memorial.

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. One such memorial was raised at Ashbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War. 

It commemorates 20 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the six fallen of that conflict. One name was also added after the Falklands War.

The memorial was unveiled on 10 July 1921 by the Countess of Craven. Her only child, William George Bradley Craven, fought with the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment in France during 1915-1916, and then in Palestine. He survived the War, but suffered extensive injuries.

Details

First World War memorial unveiled in 1921.

MATERIALS: granite memorial with lead lettering and bronze details.

DESCRIPTION: Ashbury War Memorial is located on a green at a crossroads within the village of Ashbury, Oxfordshire.

It consists of a rough-hewn wheel-headed granite cross on a tapering square plinth which stands on a two stepped base. On the front face of the cross is an inverted sword carved in relief and on the rear is a bronze inverted sword, assumed to be a later addition contemporary with the adding of the Second World War names.

INSCRIPTION: on the front face of the plinth is a smoothed panel with lead lettering to the fallen of the First World War which reads: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ (NAMES). On the rear face is a bronze plaque inscribed 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES)/ IN PROUD MEMORY. On the top step on the rear of the memorial is another additional stone plaque simply engraved: FALKLANDS 1982/ (NAME).

At each corner of the bottom step is a rough-hewn granite flower holder.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 November 2017 from http://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/136744
Imperial War Museum Register, accessed 27 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/31208

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 Ashbury War Memorial

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 27-Jun-2026 at 06:30:04.

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.

Previous Overview
Next Comments and Photos