Summary
A First World War memorial, designed by the Bromsgrove Guild, erected in about 1920.
Reasons for Designation
Stoke Prior War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Michael in Stoke Prior 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-I listed Church of St Michael, in 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 Stoke Prior as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Details
A First World War memorial, designed by the Bromsgrove Guild, erected in about 1920. MATERIALS: stone. DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a Celtic wheel-cross with elaborate strapwork carving, which continues down the length of the tapering shaft. This stands on a steeply-tapering square-section plinth, on a three-stepped square platform. The plinth has carved decoration in triangular fields, flanking the inscriptions. The main inscription reads: (south-west face) OUR/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD/ 1914-1918/; (south-east face) (11 NAMES); (north-east face) (12 NAMES); (north-west face) (12 NAMES).
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