Long Whatton War Memorial

Long Whatton War Memorial, The Green, Opposite All Saints Church, Long Whatton, Leicestershire, LE12 5DB

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Overview

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions. The concrete block wall that bounds the semi-circular enclosure within which the memorial stands is excluded from the listing. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453166
Date first listed:: 08-Feb-2018
List Entry Name:: Long Whatton War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Long Whatton War Memorial, The Green, Opposite All Saints Church, Long Whatton, Leicestershire, LE12 5DB

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453166
Date first listed:: 08-Feb-2018
List Entry Name:: Long Whatton War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Long Whatton War Memorial, The Green, Opposite All Saints Church, Long Whatton, Leicestershire, LE12 5DB

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

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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:: Long Whatton War Memorial, The Green, Opposite All Saints Church, Long Whatton, Leicestershire, LE12 5DB

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

County:: Leicestershire
District:: North West Leicestershire (District Authority)
Parish:: Long Whatton and Diseworth
National Grid Reference:: SK4820323296

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions. The concrete block wall that bounds the semi-circular enclosure within which the memorial stands is excluded from the listing.

Reasons for Designation

Long Whatton War Memorial, unveiled and dedicated in 1921, with Second World War additions, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* As an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* As an accomplished and well-realised war memorial which takes the form of a Celtic wheel-head cross atop a trapezoidal plinth.

Group value:

* With the neighbouring Church of All Saints (listed Grade II*), 81 Main Street (listed Grade II), and Manor Farmhouse and outbuildings (listed Grade II).

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised in Long Whatton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by six local servicemen. It was unveiled on 24 February 1921 by the Right Honourable Lord Crawshaw, and dedicated by the Rural Dean, Reverend WA King of Woodhouse. The memorial took the form of a Cornish cross and a was purchased from Messrs G Maile and Sons of London. It was erected by local masons, Messrs Hobbs and Sons of Long Whatton.

Following the Second World War a memorial tablet was added to commemorate the eight servicemen who died during this conflict.

In 1990 the memorial was repaired after being vandalised.

Details

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

MATERIALS: it is of rock-faced Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands in a semi-circular shaped enclosure on the south side of The Green, directly in front of Long Whatton Church of England Primary School (1847). It comprises a two-stepped base, a trapezoidal plinth and a tall shaft which tapers in rectangular section to Celtic wheel-head cross. Its north face is embellished with a relief carving of the Sword of Sacrifice. Fixed and leaning against the base is a Second World War memorial tablet, also of Cornish granite.

The First World War inscription is in leaded lettering on the plinth's polished north face and reads: 'FOR KING AND COUNTRY / IN HONOUR AND GRATEFUL MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF LONG WHATTON / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE / GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 / [Names] / LEST WE FORGET'. Immediately below it is the Second World War dedication which reads '1939 - 1945 / [NAMES] / IN MEMORIAM'.

The concrete block wall that bounds the semi-circular enclosure within which the memorial stands is excluded from the listing.

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, 27 February 2018.

Sources

Websites
Information on Long Whatton War Memorial from the Imperial War Museum's War Memorials Register, accessed 12 December 2012 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14830
Information on Long Whatton War Memorial from the Leicestershire County Council War Memorials Project website, accessed 12 December 2017 from http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/memorials/view/659
Information on Long Whatton War Memorial from the Long Whatton village website, accessed 12 December 2017 from http://longwhattonvillage.co.uk/other_pages/historypages/warmemorial.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 February 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/256334

Legal

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

The listed building(s) is/are shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.