Congerstone war memorial

Summary

A First World War memorial, erected in 1922; further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial in Congerstone 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 church’s community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* for its design, a dignified cross with carved interlace details.

Group value:

* with the Grade–II listed K6 telephone kiosk with which it shares its prominent location on the green at the centre of the village.

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 Congerstone as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the seven members of the local community of Congerstone, Gopsall and Bilstone who lost their lives in the First World War. It was altered after the Second World War to include the names of three servicemen who died in that conflict. Unusually, the memorial records in its inscriptions the details of its unveiling. The ceremony was held on 9 December 1922, and the memorial was unveiled by Rt Hon Lord Waring, and dedicated by Rev TW Walters, Rural Dean, and Rev Adrian Rollaston.

The memorial underwent cleaning in 2012.

Details

A First World War memorial, erected in 1922; further names added after the Second World War.

MATERIALS
Stone.

DESCRIPTION
The memorial takes the form of a c.3m stone cross with short arms, having Celtic interlace carving to the face of the cross and upper part of the tapering four-sided shaft, which surmounts a simple, slightly tapering plinth and single-stepped platform. The shaft bears the dedication and the plinth bears the rest of the inscriptions, in incised lettering.

The inscription is incised and picked out in black lettering and reads: ERECTED/ BY THE/ PARISHIONERS/ OF/ CONGERSTONE/ GOPSALL/ AND/ BILSTONE/ IN LOVING/ AND GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE MEN/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING/ AND COUNTRY/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918// FROM CONGERSTONE/ (NAMES)/ FROM GOPSALL/ (NAMES)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.// DEDICATED/ BY/ REV. T. W. WALTERS MA/ RURAL DEAN/ REV. ADRIAN S. ROLLASTON/ RECTOR// UNVEILED/ BY/ THE RIGHT HONL/ LORD WARING/ DECEMBER 9TH 1922.// 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register: Conglestone War Memorial, accessed 31.05.19 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/37511
War Memorials Online: war memorial at Congerstone Village Green, accessed 31.05.19 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/168377/

Other
Leicestershire County Council’s Leicestershire & Rutland War Memorials Project website http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/memorials/view/278 [accessed 31.05.19]

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