Bridstow War Memorial

located on the A49 Ross-on-Wye road At the cross roads With Bannuttree Lane, Bridstow, Herefordshire

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

Overview

First World War memorial, erected in about 1920, 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:: 1462881
Date first listed:: 01-May-2019
List Entry Name:: Bridstow War Memorial
Statutory Address:: located on the A49 Ross-on-Wye road At the cross roads With Bannuttree Lane, Bridstow, Herefordshire

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462881
Date first listed:: 01-May-2019
List Entry Name:: Bridstow War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: located on the A49 Ross-on-Wye road At the cross roads With Bannuttree Lane, Bridstow, Herefordshire

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:: located on the A49 Ross-on-Wye road At the cross roads With Bannuttree Lane, Bridstow, Herefordshire

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

District:: County of Herefordshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Bridstow
National Grid Reference:: SO5850924526

Summary

First World War memorial, erected in about 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Bridstow 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 an accomplished and well-realised design in the form of a Latin cross with associated wall and railings.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Bridstow as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Bridstow War Memorial was erected in about 1920 to commemorate the men of the parish who died during the First World War. The additional panel bearing the names of parishioners who died during the Second World War was unveiled in 1948. Another name has been added to a stone in front of the base of the memorial; this appears to be a subsequent addition.

Details

First World War memorial, erected in about 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: roughly hewn granite, with inscription in black metal lettering.

DESCRIPTION: located beside the A49 Ross-on-Wye Road, at the cross roads with Bannuttree Lane, the war memorial comprises a Latin cross, surmounted on a roughly-hewn stone pedestal, comprising a square plinth and tapered dado. To the south face of the Latin cross is an incised cross. On the south face of the dado the stone has been carved to form a recessed panel. The inscription reads:

IN / HONOURED MEMORY / OF / OUR FELLOW PARISHIONERS / WHO DIED FOR KING & COUNTRY / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919 / (20 NAMES) / THAT BRITAIN MIGHT STAY FREE. FULL PRICE / THESE PAID. A WORTHY SACRIFICE.

There is an additional recessed panel to the south face of the base. The inscription reads: 1939 -1945 / (6 NAMES).

A rectangular piece of stone has been added in front of the base inscribed with an additional name. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the war memorial is enclosed on three sides by a low wall of coursed stones and coping stones, surmounted by railings. The railings are of square section with spear-head finials. The two verticals to the northern corners have fleur-de-lys finials and have supportive brackets, whilst the two verticals to the south, also with fleur-de-lys finials, are twisted and are supported by a scrolled bracket on a triangular stone base.

Sources

Websites
Bridstow Cross, accessed 13 March 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/32756
Bridstow WM Cross, accessed 13 March 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/134320/
Other
‘Bridstow War Memorial’, Gloucester Citizen (3 March 1948)

Legal

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