Calstock Parish War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1921; altered after the Second World War and Korean War.

Reasons for Designation

Calstock Parish 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 use of local materials and the connection to local industry.

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 in Albaston, for the Parish of Calstock, 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 war memorial at Albaston commemorates the 43 men from Calstock Parish who served in the First World War and did not return.

The memorial was funded by public subscription and cost £235. The excess that was raised was used to fund a further bronze plate to include names that had previously been omitted. The memorial was carved at Kit Hill quarry from the granite there, by Alfie Beer. It was unveiled on 8 February 1921 by a local ex-soldier who had lost his right leg on the Somme in 1916. Placing the memorial in the parish cemetery rather than at the parish church at Calstock allowed it to be seen by all.

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the 35 men who fell in that conflict. Beer’s son is the first name inscribed on this plaque, having been on a ship to Canada which was sunk shortly after leaving Liverpool. A further individual was commemorated after the Korean War (1950-1953).

Details

First World War memorial, unveiled 1921; altered after the Second World War and Korean War.

MATERIALS: Kit Hill granite; bronze plaques.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a roughly-hewn Latin cross with a tapering shaft, on a tapering base, and square plinth. A bronze plaque is fixed to each face of the base; the plaque on the principal face (west) is inscribed ‘THANKS BE TO GOD WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY / IN GLORIOUS MEMORY OF / THE MEN FROM THE PARISH OF CALSTOCK / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 -1918 / GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS / THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS’. The names of the fallen are inscribed on plaques on the other faces. After the Second World War a granite tablet was added on top of the west side of the base, inscribed with ‘IN MEMORIAM / 1939-1945’ and the names of the men who fell in that conflict. A further granite tablet was added on the east side after the Korean War, inscribed ‘IN MEMORIAM / KOREA 1950-53’ and the name of the individual who fell inscribed.

Sources

Websites
Cornwall War History – Albaston, accessed 31/05/2018 from http://www.cornwallswarhistory.co.uk/maps/war-memorials-2/albaston/
War Memorials Online Database - Calstock Parishioners, accessed 31/05/2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/246697/
Imperial War Museum – War Memorials Register – Calstock Parishioners, accessed 31/05/2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9327

Other
Western Morning News, Tuesday 8 February 1921
Western Morning News, Wednesday 22 June 1921

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