Weare Giffard War Memorial

Beside the Church of the Holy Trinity, Weare Giffard, Bideford, Devon, EX39 4QP

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1459651
Date first listed:: 28-Sep-2018
List Entry Name:: Weare Giffard War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Beside the Church of the Holy Trinity, Weare Giffard, Bideford, Devon, EX39 4QP

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1459651
Date first listed:: 28-Sep-2018
List Entry Name:: Weare Giffard War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Beside the Church of the Holy Trinity, Weare Giffard, Bideford, Devon, EX39 4QP

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:: Beside the Church of the Holy Trinity, Weare Giffard, Bideford, Devon, EX39 4QP

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

County:: Devon
District:: Torridge (District Authority)
Parish:: Weare Giffard
National Grid Reference:: SS4674622136

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Weare Giffard War Memorial, which stands beside the gateway to the churchyard, close to the Church of the Holy Trinity, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a well-executed and elegant small granite wheel-head cross.

Group value:

* with the Church of the Holy Trinity (Grade I) and Humphreys monument (Grade II).

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 Weare Giffard 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 was unveiled on Sunday 2 October 1921 by Lieutenant-Colonel M T Phelps.

The name of one parishioner who fell during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands beside the gateway to the churchyard, close to the Church of the Holy Trinity (Grade I) and a short distance from the Humphreys monument (Grade II). The memorial comprises a wheel-head cross with a rough-hewn tapering shaft on a square tapering pedestal atop a substantial stone platform. The memorial is carved from pale grey granite.

The main inscription in leaded lettering reads: (south face) FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ 1914 – 1918/ 1939 – 1945/ (1 NAME), (west face) (6 NAMES), (east face) (5 NAMES).

Sources

Websites
The Story of Weare Giffard , accessed 8 November 2017 from http://www.wearegiffard.info/history/story-of-weare-giffard/WG-PeopPari-Great-Wars.pdf
War Memorial Register, accessed 8 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/26009
Other
Wear Gifford [sic] War Memorial, Western Times, Tuesday 4 October 1921

Legal

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