Twigworth War Memorial
Churchyard of the Church of St Matthew, Tewkesbury Road, Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9BW
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1454541
- Date first listed:
- 20-Mar-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Twigworth War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Matthew, Tewkesbury Road, Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9BW
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1454541
- Date first listed:
- 20-Mar-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Twigworth War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Matthew, Tewkesbury Road, Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9BW
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.
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Matthew, Tewkesbury Road, Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9BW
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Gloucestershire
- District:
- Tewkesbury (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Twigworth
- National Grid Reference:
- SO8420921719
Summary
War memorial, erected in 1920, with added commemoration for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Twigworth War Memorial in the churchyard of St Matthew’s Church is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* As a well-executed and finely-detailed commemorative structure in the form of a Calvary;
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.
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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 erected at Twigworth, within the churchyard of the mid-C19 Church of St Matthew, to commemorate the 15 local men who lost their lives during the First World War. It was carved by sculptor Arthur Frith of Gloucester, and the dedication ceremony by the Bishop of Gloucester took place on Sunday 19 September 1920. Following the Second World War a further inscription was added to the war memorial.
The war poet and composer, Ivor Gurney (1890-1937), who was born in Gloucester is buried in the churchyard.
Details
War memorial, erected in 1920, with added commemoration for the Second World War.
MATERIAL
Carved from Portland stone.
DESCRIPTION
The war memorial stands within the churchyard, to the north-east of the church (unlisted) and is in the form of a stone Calvary with a sculpted figure of Christ under a canopy hood. There are carved floral motifs at intervals on the shaft and also two shields, with a chalice inscribed on one and ‘IHS’ on the other. The shaft rises from a hexagonal plinth that stands on a four-stepped base which is also hexagonal. The front (north) of the plinth is inscribed in Arts and Crafts-inspired Serif font: IN MEMORY / OF THE MEN / OF THIS PARISH / WHO GAVE THEIR / LIVES FOR THEIR / COUNTRY DURING / THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1918. The names of the Fallen are recorded on two sides of the plinth, while the rear face is inscribed: 1939-1945 / (NAMES).
Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museum, Ref.20901 Twigworth, accessed 8 February 2018 from Imperial War Museum, Ref.20901 Twigworth
Other
Twigworth War Memorial, Gloucester Chronicle 25 September 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.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 22-Jun-2026 at 16:56:57.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.