Great Witley War Memorial

Worcester Road, Great Witley, Worcester, WR6 6HP

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

Overview

First World War memorial, early 1920s, 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:: 1461634
Date first listed:: 13-Mar-2019
List Entry Name:: Great Witley War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Worcester Road, Great Witley, Worcester, WR6 6HP

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1461634
Date first listed:: 13-Mar-2019
List Entry Name:: Great Witley War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Worcester Road, Great Witley, Worcester, WR6 6HP

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:: Worcester Road, Great Witley, Worcester, WR6 6HP

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

County:: Worcestershire
District:: Malvern Hills (District Authority)
Parish:: Great Witley
National Grid Reference:: SO7587965722

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Great Witley 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:

* as a simple yet well-constructed and evocative example of a Latin cross memorial.

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 the official policy of not repatriating the dead. Memorials, therefore, provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Great Witley as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. No date, nor details of the erection of the memorial have been found, though typically, war memorials in small settlements such as this were funded by public subscription, and were built in the few years immediately after the war.

In common with other most other First World War memorials, a subsequent dedication was added to those who fell in the Second World War.

Details

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

MATERIALS: constructed from limestone.

PLAN: the memorial stands on the roadside, on the northern boundary of the burial ground.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a Latin cross with chamfered edges, mounted on a tapering octagonal shaft, upon a square plinth and three-stepped base. The main inscription is in incised lettering on the north face of the plinth; it reads: ‘IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF THIS PLACE / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR US / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919 / AND IN / 1939 – 1945’. The names of 20 fallen parishioners are inscribed on the south face of the plinth.

Sources

Websites
mperial War Museums, War Memorials Register: Great Witley, accessed 21/11/2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/32914
War Memorials Online, Great Witley, accessed 21/11/2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/228206

Legal

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