Lavendon War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Lavendon War Memorial, which stands at the junction of High Street and Olney Road, 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 simple yet poignant granite memorial cross, in the Celtic style.

Group value:

* with numerous Grade II-listed buildings and the Grade I-listed Church of St Michael.

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 Lavendon as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 21 members of the local community who died in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled at an ecumenical service held on 12 December 1920 by Major HH Halse of Lavendon Grange. In 1937, responsibility for the memorial was passed from the War Memorial Committee to the Parish Council. Further additions were made to the memorial following the Second World War (five names) and the Malaya Emergency (one name).

The post and chain arrangement surrounding the memorial replaces an earlier enclosure: a photograph from c1921 shows the memorial surrounded by wooden posts carrying a rope.

Details

The Cornish granite memorial stands at the junction of High Street and Olney Road, adjacent to numerous Grade II-listed buildings and the Grade I-listed Church of St Michael. It comprises a Celtic wheel head cross on a tapered pedestal, standing on two steps: the immediate surrounding area is paved with crazy paving. The whole is enclosed by eight low granite pyramidal posts, carrying spiked chains.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front (east) face of the pedestal reads TO THE UNDYING FAME/ OF THESE MEN OF LAVENDON/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ 1914 - 1919/ THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED/ (NAMES)/ “LEST WE FORGET”. Below, the inscription on a small chamfered stone added to the lower step reads ALSO 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES). A similar stone added to the step on the south side to record death of soldier in Malaya in 1953.

Sources

Websites
Lavendon Connection, accessed 27 September 2017 from https://lavendonconnection.co/home/history/lavendon-war-memorial/
War Memorials Register, accessed 29 April 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/8199
War Memorials Online, accessed 29 April 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/115121/

Other
Northampton Mercury, 17 December 1920.
The Bucks Herald, 18 Saturday 1920.
Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 15 January 1937.

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