Bridstow War Memorial

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)

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