Fretherne War Memorial

Fretherne War Memorial, outside the Church of St Mary, Fretherne, Gloucestershire, GL2 7JF

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Overview

A First World War memorial, erected in about 1920; altered by the addition of two further names after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462045
Date first listed:: 17-Jan-2019
List Entry Name:: Fretherne War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Fretherne War Memorial, outside the Church of St Mary, Fretherne, Gloucestershire, GL2 7JF

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462045
Date first listed:: 17-Jan-2019
List Entry Name:: Fretherne War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Fretherne War Memorial, outside the Church of St Mary, Fretherne, Gloucestershire, GL2 7JF

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:: Fretherne War Memorial, outside the Church of St Mary, Fretherne, Gloucestershire, GL2 7JF

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

County:: Gloucestershire
District:: Stroud (District Authority)
Parish:: Fretherne with Saul
National Grid Reference:: SO7336209190

Summary

A First World War memorial, erected in about 1920; altered by the addition of two further names after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Fretherne War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Mary, 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 church’s community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* for its design, a well-executed stone cross with carved detailing and good inscriptions.

Group value:

* with the Grade-II* listed Church of St Mary, outside whose churchyard it stands.

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 750,000 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 Fretherne as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by six members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Fretherne War Memorial dates from 1920. It commemorates six local men who died in the First World War and also makes reference to a further 25 local men who served in the conflict. Following the Second World War, the names of two fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial.

Details

A First World War memorial, erected in about 1920; altered by the addition of two further names after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial, about 4m high, takes the form of a Latin cross surmounted on a collared shaft which rises from a square plinth. This is set on a three-stepped base, the bottom step of which is deep and has a low step abutting its north side. The cross shaft has carved flowers running up the chamfered edges.

The north face of the plinth lists the names of the six men of the parish who died during the First World War. The east face bears the inscription (CROSS)/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN EVER/ GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN OF/ FRETHERNE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ KING & COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR A.D. 1914-1919/ (CROSS). The south face reads (CROSS)/ 25 MEN OF FRETHERNE SERVED IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ (CROSS), while the west face reads (CROSS)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS ST JOHN XV 13. One name of each of the two men who fell in the Second World War is incised into the north and east faces of the top step of the base.

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, Brooks, A, The Buildings of England Gloucestershire II: The Vale and the Forest of Dean , (2002), 385
Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register: Fretherne War Memorial, accessed 13.12.2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/30007
War Memorials Online Database, Fretherne War Memorial WMO201001 , accessed 13.12.2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/201001/
Other
'Gloucestershire War Memorials', Gloucester Journal, (13 September 1924), p.19

Legal

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