Fladbury Church War Memorial

Church of St John the Baptist, Church Street, Fladbury, Worcestershire, WR10 2QB

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Overview

A First World War memorial, built 1916, altered after 1918. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462774
Date first listed:: 28-Feb-2019
List Entry Name:: Fladbury Church War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Church of St John the Baptist, Church Street, Fladbury, Worcestershire, WR10 2QB

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462774
Date first listed:: 28-Feb-2019
List Entry Name:: Fladbury Church War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Church of St John the Baptist, Church Street, Fladbury, Worcestershire, WR10 2QB

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:: Church of St John the Baptist, Church Street, Fladbury, Worcestershire, WR10 2QB

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

County:: Worcestershire
District:: Wychavon (District Authority)
Parish:: Fladbury
National Grid Reference:: SO9959346270

Summary

A First World War memorial, built 1916, altered after 1918.

Reasons for Designation

Fladbury Church War Memorial, first built in 1916 and altered after 1918, 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* as a fine example of a Latin cross type of memorial.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St John the Baptist.

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 Fladbury in Worcestershire, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

This memorial was erected by Mr and Mrs J Francis of The Brooklands, Fladbury, to the memory of their son, Captain John Francis of the 5th Batallion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who was killed by a sniper in France in June 1915. The memorial was unveiled on Tuesday 20 June 1916 and was dedicated by the Bishop of Worcester.

The names of 14 parishioners from Fladbury, eight parishioners from Hill and Moor, three parishioners from Throckmorton and four parishioners from Wyre who gave their lives in the First World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

A First World War memorial, built 1916, altered after 1918.

MATERIALS Limestone, bronze.

DESCRIPTION The memorial stands close to the entrance of the churchyard, to the west of the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I).

The memorial comprises a plain Latin cross on an octagonal column with elaborately carved capital, on a substantial rectangular plinth and four-stepped square base. The memorial is carved from limestone and the faces of the plinth are decorated with relief-carved quatrefoils.

The main inscription on a bronze plaque on the west face of the plinth reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ & IN MEMORY OF THEIR ONLY SON/ JOHN FRANCIS CAPTN/ FIFTH BATTAL ROYAL WARKWICKS/ REGIMENT KILLED IN ACTION IN/ FRANCE JUNE 2 1915 AGED 27/ & I HONOUR TO THOSE OTHERS/ OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ THIS CROSS WAS ERECTED BY JOHN HORACE & ETHEL FRANCIS/ and in incised lettering on the stone plinth beneath the plaque: GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS

Further inscriptions in incised lettering on the remaining faces of the stone plinth read: FLADBURY (9 names)/ (4 names) HILL & MOOR (6 names)/ (2 names) THROCKMORTON (3 names)/ WYRE (4 names).

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register - Capt J Francis And Men Of Fladbury, accessed 29/01/2019 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/32412
War Memorials Online database - Fladbury WW1, accessed 29/01/2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/232617/
Worcestershire World War 100 - 21st June 1916 - Memorial to Fladbury Officer, accessed 29/01/2019 from http://www.ww1worcestershire.co.uk/key-dates/1916/06/memorial-to-fladbury-officer/

Legal

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