Summary
A war memorial, commemorating the fallen of Wroxall, designed by Frank Moorman of Ventnor and unveiled in October 1920, with a later addition and alteration of about 1945.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial to the south of the Church of St John, Wroxall, Isle of Wight 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:
* as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial, which takes the form of an octagonal stone shaft with base and lantern head.
Group value:
* with the Church of St John, Wroxall (Grade II), in which churchyard it stands to the south of the church.
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 Wroxall, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made. The memorial was unveiled by HRH Princess Beatrice at a service on 8 October 1920 conducted by The Revd R Heaton. A further plaque commemorating the fallen from the Second World War was added after 1945.
Details
A war memorial, commemorating the fallen of Wroxall, designed by Frank Moorman of Ventnor and unveiled in October 1920, with a later addition and alteration of about 1945.
MATERIALS & PLAN: the monument stands to the south of the church and is of ashlar with a stepped plinth, square base and octagonal shaft, supporting a lantern with four sides.
DESCRIPTION: the monument sits on a plinth of four steps which support a square base. To each side of the base are inset, rectangular panels. That on the western side has wording, in raised Gothic script, which reads: 'A.MEMORIAL.TO / WROXALL.MEN / WHO.LAID.DOWN / THEIR.LIVES.IN.THE / GREAT.WAR.1914-19'. Underneath, on a separate tablet, placed at an angle on the top step of the base is the inscription '1939-1945' with names of the fallen below. The inset panels on the other three sides contain the names of the fallen from the First world War. The top of the base has square finials with flared tops to the corners. The octagonal shaft has a moulded base and an astragal to the neck, with a flared capital which supports a lantern with four closed sides and miniature gables. At the summit is a cross finial.
