Whimple War Memorial
Churchyard of the Church of St Mary, The Square, Whimple, Exeter, Devon
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1463251
- Date first listed:
- 28-Mar-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Whimple War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Mary, The Square, Whimple, Exeter, Devon
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1463251
- Date first listed:
- 28-Mar-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Whimple War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Mary, The Square, Whimple, Exeter, Devon
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Mary, The Square, Whimple, Exeter, Devon
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- East Devon (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Whimple
- National Grid Reference:
- SY0439897191
Summary
First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Whimple 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 this community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a thoughtfully-designed and simple memorial in the form of a Latin cross.
Group value:
* it groups well with a number of listed buildings in The Square and also the Church of St Mary (Grade II*).
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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 Whimple, within the churchyard, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 22 members of the local community who lost their lives during the First World War. Contemporary newspapers report that the design was based on an ancient cross in the churchyard at Harpford a village to the south-east. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 21 March 1920 and dedicated by the Dean of Exeter.
The names of the parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Details
First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is situated prominently within the churchyard to the south of the Church of St Mary (Grade II*). It is carved from granite and comprises a Latin cross on a tall octagonal shaft with a three-stepped octagonal base.
The upper section of the base has the inscription in lead lettering: IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN 1914 1919 on seven of its eight sides; a small cross is inscribed on the eighth face. The middle step is inscribed with the names of the fallen, and the lower section is inscribed: 1939 – 1945 / (NAMES).
Sources
Websites
Devon & Dartmoor HER, Whimple War Mmeorial, HER no. MDV104726, accessed 22 February 2019 from http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MDV104726&resourceID=104
Devon Heritage, Whimple – The War Memorial, accessed 22 February 2019 from http://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Whimple/Whimple-TheWarMemorial.htm
War Memorials Register, Whimple – Cross, accessed 22 February 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25448
War Memorials Online, Whimple, Ref. WM0252257, accessed 22 February 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/252257/
Other
Western Times, Friday 26 March 1920, Dedication of a Granite Cross in Churchyard
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 25-Jul-2026 at 17:43:58.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.