Stokenham War Memorial

Church of St Michael & All Angels, Stokenham, Devon, TQ7 2ST

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

Overview

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1921, altered following the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1463241
Date first listed:: 09-Apr-2019
List Entry Name:: Stokenham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Church of St Michael & All Angels, Stokenham, Devon, TQ7 2ST

The Missing Pieces Project

Share your view of unique places.

Add your contribution

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions.

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

🏠 Buildings
🏰 Scheduled monuments
🌳 Parks and gardens
⚔️ Battlefields
⚓ Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1463241
Date first listed:: 09-Apr-2019
List Entry Name:: Stokenham War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Church of St Michael & All Angels, Stokenham, Devon, TQ7 2ST

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 Michael & All Angels, Stokenham, Devon, TQ7 2ST

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

County:: Devon
District:: South Hams (District Authority)
Parish:: Stokenham
National Grid Reference:: SX8081942821

Summary

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1921, altered following the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Stokenham War Memorial, unveiled in 1921, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest: * it is a dignified and sombre stone cross, neatly made and well-proportioned.

Historic interest: * as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact on the local community of the events of the First World War.

Group value: * with the Grade I listed Church of St Michael and the Grade II listed church gates.

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 Stokenham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 38 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 27 March 1921.

The names of the 10 parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1921, altered following the Second World War.

MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed from granite.

PLAN: the memorial stands within the churchyard of the Church of St Michael and All Angels (Grade I), adjacent to the south door of the church and the Grade II listed walls, railings, gate-piers, gates and overthrow on the south, south-west and west of the churchyard.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is 2.75m high and comprises a tall granite Latin cross with chamfered edges set atop a square plinth with rounded corners, standing on a three-stepped octagonal base.

The main inscription is on the north face of the plinth in leaded lettering and reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1919/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/. The names of the First World War fallen are recorded on the east and west sides of the plinth, and on the south face of the plinth is the inscription: "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE."

An additional inscription has been added to the north face of the upper step of the base which reads: AND OF THOSE WHO FELL/ IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945/. The names of the Second World War fallen are recorded on the two adjacent faces of the upper step.

Sources

Websites
Heritage Gateway record, ref MDV104692, accessed 20 March 2019 from http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?resourceID=104&uid=MDV104692
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, ref 25765, accessed 09 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25765
War Memorials Online ref 205627, accessed 09 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/205627

Legal

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