Old Town War Memorial

in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, Old Town Road, Old Town, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0NH

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Overview

First World War memorial, probably erected in the early 1920s, altered after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1456741
Date first listed:: 03-Jul-2018
List Entry Name:: Old Town War Memorial
Statutory Address:: in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, Old Town Road, Old Town, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0NH

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1456741
Date first listed:: 03-Jul-2018
List Entry Name:: Old Town War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, Old Town Road, Old Town, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0NH

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:: in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, Old Town Road, Old Town, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0NH

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

District:: Isles of Scilly (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: St. Mary's
National Grid Reference:: SV9110110017

Summary

First World War memorial, probably erected in the early 1920s, altered after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Old Town War Memorial, erected in the early 1920s, 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:

* as a well-executed and elegant memorial taking the form of a tapering plinth with wheel-head cross.

Group value:

* the memorial is situated next to the Grade II* listed Old Church of St Mary along with several listed headstones.

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 Old Town 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 at Old Town is likely to have been raised in the early 1920s. Further names were then added to the memorial after the Second World War, to commemorate those who had been killed during the conflict.

The memorial contains the names of four women from the parish who were killed during the conflicts. Cicely F. Dorrien-Smith died in 1915 while volunteering in France. Sylvia Jenkins, Dorothy Paige and Barbara Watts are included in the inscription commemorating those lost during the Second World War.

Details

First World War memorial, probably erected in the early 1920s, altered after the Second World War.

MATERIALS : constructed of granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is rectangular on plan and takes the form of a tapering rough-hewn granite obelisk supporting a wheel-head cross. The north, south and west faces of the obelisk feature granite panels with lead lettering. The north face inscription reads: 1914 – 18/ (NAMES)/ FORGET NOT THEM, O LAND/ FOR WHOM THEY DIED. The south face of the memorial reads: ROLL OF HONOUR/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES). The west face inscription reads: TO THE HONOUR OF THE/ SONS OF THESE ISLANDS/ WHO SERVED IN THE/ GREAT WARS/ 1914 – 18/ 1939 – 45. The memorial is surrounded by a small paved area which extends to the east.

Sources

Websites
Cornwall's War History, 'DORRIEN-SMITH, Cicely Frances', accessed 2 May 2018 from http://www.cornwallswarhistory.co.uk/records/death-record/?srd=2530
War Memorials Online, 'St Mary Old Town WW1&2', accessed 2 May 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/137875

Legal

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