Pensnett War Memorial

High Street, Junction with Elgar Crescent & Vicarage Lane, Pensnett, Dudley, DY5 4JJ

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Overview

A First World War memorial, built around 1927; altered after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1463503
Date first listed:: 10-Apr-2019
List Entry Name:: Pensnett War Memorial
Statutory Address:: High Street, Junction with Elgar Crescent & Vicarage Lane, Pensnett, Dudley, DY5 4JJ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1463503
Date first listed:: 10-Apr-2019
List Entry Name:: Pensnett War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: High Street, Junction with Elgar Crescent & Vicarage Lane, Pensnett, Dudley, DY5 4JJ

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:: High Street, Junction with Elgar Crescent & Vicarage Lane, Pensnett, Dudley, DY5 4JJ

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

District:: Dudley (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: SO9167389292

Summary

A First World War memorial, built around 1927; altered after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Pensnett War Memorial is listed at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:

* 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:

* for its design, a well-executed column with good-quality bronze plaques.

Group value:

* with the Grade II-listed Church of St Mark.

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 Pensnett as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 75 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

By 12 November 1927, Pensnett’s war memorial had not yet been erected due to a lack of public interest. Following an anonymous donation a committee was formed to carry out further fundraising so that the memorial could be built and the Ordnance Survey map for 1937 (1:2500) shows the memorial in situ by this time.

Following the Second World War the names of the fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial.

Details

A First World War memorial, built around 1927; altered after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: limestone, bronze.

DESCRIPTION: Pensnett War Memorial stands at the east side of the junction of High Street and Elgar Crescent. It is located in close proximity to the Grade II-listed Church of St Mark.

It consists of an ashlar pillar, triangular on plan, on a two-stepped hexagonal base. At the top of each face of the pillar is a Latin cross, carved in relief.

The east face of the pillar has a nowy-headed bronze plaque with wreath and shield detail bearing an inscription which reads THIS PILLAR / OF SACRIFICE / WAS RAISED TO THE MEMORY / OF THE SEVENTY FIVE / MEN OF PENSNETT WHO / ARE NUMBERED AMONG / THE ONE MILLION DEAD / OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT / WAR 1914 – 1918. THEY / DIED IN EVERY QUARTER / OF THE EARTH AND THEIR / GRAVES ARE MADE SURE / TO THEM BY THEIR KIN / THE MAIN HOST LIE / BURIED IN THE LANDS OF / OUR ALLIES OF THE WAR, / WHO HAVE SET ASIDE / THEIR RESTING PLACES IN / HONOUR FOR EVER: SOME / LIE IN THE CHURCHYARD / YONDER / THEIR NAME LIVETH / FOR EVERMORE. Two identical plaques list the names of the 75 servicemen who fell in the First World War.

Above the First World War dedicatory plaque is a bronze shield-shaped plaque which reads IN / GRATEFUL MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF THIS / PARISH WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES FOR / THEIR COUNTRY IN / THE WORLD WAR / 1939 – 45. Two further shield-shaped plaques list the names of the fallen from the Second World War, the second with a further small rectangular bronze plaque beneath with an additional name inscribed.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register – Men of Pensnett , accessed 07/03/2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/48107
War Memorials Online – St Mark’s Church Memorial Pillar/Column , accessed 07/03/2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/198178
Other
‘Incompleted Memorial’, Birmingham Daily Gazette, Saturday 12 November 1927, p4
Ordnance Survey, Staffordshire (1937) (1:2500)

Legal

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