Memorial Wall in the grounds of the Old Meeting House Unitarian Chapel

Summary

A war memorial, in the form of a memorial wall built against a section of earlier boundary walling in the grounds of the Grade II* Old Meeting House Unitarian Chapel in Mansfield.

Reasons for Designation

The War Memorial incorporated in one bay of a two-bay section of enclosure walling of the Old Meeting House Unitarian Chapel in Mansfield, built in the 1920's, 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:

* a distinctive and carefully detailed design by Alan Sorby Buxton (1867-1932), a renowned local artist, local historian and antiquarian, which forms an appropriately dignified and sombre memorial to those who lost their lives;

Group value

* the memorial is located a short distance from the Old Meeting House Unitarian Chapel in Mansfield, which is listed at Grade II*.

History

The Memorial Wall at the Old Meeting House Unitarian Chapel in Mansfield was built in the 1920's to the designs of Alan Sorby Buxton (1867-1932), a renowned local artist, local historian and antiquarian. It stands adjacent to Mansfield's Unitarian Chapel in Old Meeting House Yard (listed at Grade II*, List entry 1207181) and commemorates those members of the chapel community who lost their lives in the First World War. A plaque recording the names of the Fallen of the Second World War was subsequently added.

Details

A memorial wall, set within earlier enclosure walling, installed in the 1920's to the designs of renowned local artist and antiquarian Alan Sorby Buxton (1867-1932). The memorial incorporates commemorative bronze plaques which record the names of members of Mansfield's Unitarian Chapel community who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

MATERIALS
The monument is built of ashlar sandstone, with bronze plaques. The ashlar work is set within one bay of a two bay section of enclosure wall, constructed of coursed squared sandstone, and with a panel of brickwork.

PLAN
The memorial is linear in form and is enclosed on three sides, and attached to a surviving section of what appears to have been an earlier boundary wall with shallow returns, or piers, at each end and a central pier.

DESCRIPTION
Two bronze plaques bearing the names of the Fallen, set below copper wreaths, each with the Omega letter at their centre. Each plaque is recessed between short pilasters with splayed feet which terminate at a shallow bracketed shelf. The plaques and paired pilasters are set against a lining wall of ashlar sandstone blocks which is capped by a plainly-moulded cornice. The pilasters rise above the level of the cornice and are capped by a similarly moulded, u-shaped cornice supported on the pilaster heads and the ashlar blocks above the plaques. Each plaque bears an inscription which reads, IN REMEMBRANCE/ 1914-1918/ NAMES/ THEIR NAMES LIVETH FOR EVERMORE. A small plaque recording the names of those who fell in the Second World War has been added below the right-hand plaque.

End of official list entry

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