Woodhouse Eaves War Memorial

Church Hill, near St Paul's Church, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8RT

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Overview

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1920, altered following the Second World War.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1465195
Date first listed:
17-Jul-2019
List Entry Name:
Woodhouse Eaves War Memorial
Statutory Address:
Church Hill, near St Paul's Church, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8RT

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1465195
Date first listed:
17-Jul-2019
List Entry Name:
Woodhouse Eaves War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:
Church Hill, near St Paul's Church, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8RT

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
Church Hill, near St Paul's Church, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8RT

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

County:
Leicestershire
District:
Charnwood (District Authority)
Parish:
Woodhouse
National Grid Reference:
SK5318614123

Summary

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1920, altered following the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Woodhouse Eaves 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* the war memorial is an interesting and dramatically sited design, dignified and well-proportioned.

Group value

* it has strong group value with the Grade II* listed parish church and Grade II listed lych gate.

History

The war memorial in Woodhouse Eaves was unveiled on Sunday 28 November 1920 by Major General Sir AR Hosking KCB CMG DSO, and dedicated by the Rural Dean, the Reverend Arthur King. The hillside on which the memorial was erected was donated by William Curzon-Herrick.

The memorial commemorates the 34 local servicemen who fell in the First World War, and eight who later fell in the Second World War. It was designed by a Leicester based architect who lively locally, Howard Henry Thomson. Thomson also design the [now demolished] Liberty Shoe Factory at Leicester, and the Grade II listed war memorials at Birstall and Anstey, Leicestershire, as well as much other work.

The building work for the memorial was carried out by Walter Wesley, and the slate panels and lettering were produced by The Plasmatic Company of Leicester. The cost of the memorial was around £450.

Details

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1920, altered following the Second World War.

MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed of Mountsorrel granite and slate.

DESCRIPTION: Woodhouse Eaves war memorial is located on the hillside adjacent to the road at the bend in Church Hill. It is prominently sited near to the parish church, overlooking surrounding fields.

The memorial consists of two main elements: a cross of around 5m which stands atop a rocky outcrop, and below this a wall around 4m wide and 1.7m high which bears the inscription panels. The Latin cross is square in section and rough-hewn. The lower wall is altar-like and consists of a three-tiered granite 'frame' with encised epitaph, within which are three inserted slate inscription panels with gilded lettering.

The inscriptions read: THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ IN HONOURED/ MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ WOODHOUSE EAVES/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919/ (NAMES)/ AND OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945/ (NAMES).

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum Inventory, accessed 17.6.19 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14806
Leicestershire County Council's Leicestershire and Rutland War Memorials Project, accessed 17.6.19 from http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/memorials/view/1290

Other
Illustrated Leicester Chronicle, Saturday 23 April 1921 pp.8-9

Legal

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

Ordnance survey map of Woodhouse Eaves War Memorial

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 30-Jun-2026 at 17:15:38.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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