Yealmpton War Memorial

Adjacent to St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Fore Street, Yealmpton, Devon, PL8 2GZ

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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:: 1459658
Date first listed:: 28-Sep-2018
List Entry Name:: Yealmpton War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Adjacent to St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Fore Street, Yealmpton, Devon, PL8 2GZ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1459658
Date first listed:: 28-Sep-2018
List Entry Name:: Yealmpton War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Adjacent to St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Fore Street, Yealmpton, Devon, PL8 2GZ

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:: Adjacent to St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Fore Street, Yealmpton, Devon, PL8 2GZ

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

County:: Devon
District:: South Hams (District Authority)
Parish:: Yealmpton
National Grid Reference:: SX5777451750

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Yealmpton War Memorial, which stands on Fore Street, 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 simple and elegant example of a wheel-head cross in Cornish granite standing in its enclosure.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Bartholomew (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 Yealmpton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 18 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on 17 July 1921 by Charles Williams MP and dedicated by the Reverend N N Lewarne.

The names of the 11 parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

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

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent roadside location at the northern edge of St Bartholomew's churchyard, fronting onto Fore Street. Part of the churchyard wall has been removed to create a three-sided, stone walled, open-fronted, paved enclosure in which the memorial stands.

The memorial comprises a simple wheel-head cross of Cornish granite set atop a tapering plinth and a three-stepped base.

The main inscription is in leaded lettering on the front (northern) face of the plinth and reads: TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF THE PARISH WHO LAID DOWN/ THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ (18 NAMES IN TWO COLUMNS).

The front face of the upper step of the base bears the additional inscription: ALSO IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945/ (11 NAMES IN THREE COLUMNS).

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 8 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/26057
War Memorials Online, accessed 8 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/98111
Other
'Roadside Cross: Yealmpton War Memorial Unveiled', The Western Morning News and Mercury, 18 July 1921, p.5

Legal

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