Huggate War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, by Pate Stonemasons, with a Second World War addition.

Reasons for Designation

Huggate War Memorial, erected 1921, 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:
* a well executed Portland stone obelisk, rising off a plinth on a two-stepped base, which provides an elegant and fitting tribute to the Fallen of the Parish.

Group value:
* it benefits from a spatial group value with the Grade I Church of St Mary, Huggate.

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, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Huggate as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by nine members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War.

Huggate War Memorial was built by Pate Stonemasons and was unveiled by Colonel Guy Wilson DSO, Commanding Officer, East Riding Yeomanry, on 27 March 1921 at a dedication service attended by the local community, clergy and various dignitaries. Following the Second World War, the name of an additional serviceman from that conflict was added to the memorial. In 2016 the memorial was steam cleaned and the incised lettering was re-painted in-line with historical evidence, with the help of a grant administered by War Memorials Trust.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, by Pate Stonemasons, with a Second World War addition.

MATERIALS: Portland stone obelisk.

DESCRIPTION: Huggate War Memorial is situated in the churchyard of the listed Grade I Church of St Mary (National Heritage List for England: 1084147). It takes the form of an ashlar obelisk rising from a pedestal on a square base. The obelisk has a pyramidal top, with an astragal moulding one third of the way up the shaft. The pedestal has a moulded top and plain panels, set on a chamfered plinth, resting on a single-stepped base. The front (west) panel of the pedestal bears an incised inscription in painted black letters that reads: IN GRATEFUL/ REMEMBRANCE OF/ THE BRAVE MEN/ WHOSE NAMES ARE/ HEREBY INSCRIBED/ AND WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919, with the (NAMES) of the nine First World War Fallen, inscribed on the north and south panels. The west face of the plinth is inscribed: ERECTED BY/ THE PARSHIONERS; the south face is inscribed: 1939-1945, together with the (NAME) of a single serviceman killed during the Second World War.

Sources

Websites
Huggate Village Obelisk, accessed 15 April 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/34830
Huggate WWI and WWII, accessed 15 April 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/219844
War Memorials Trust, Showcase Result, Huggate, accessed 15 April 2019 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1363

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