Stoney Stanton War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled in 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Stoney Stanton 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 has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a well-realised example of a Celtic wheel cross memorial.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Michael (Grade II*) and The Old Rectory (Grade II).

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.

Stoney Stanton War Memorial was erected to commemorate 43 parishioners, many of whom had been employed at the local quarry, Mountsorrel Granite Company. The quarry donated the granite base of the monument, with the remaining costs of about £450, being met by public subscription. The memorial was unveiled on 7 January 1921 by Colonel R E Martin CMG TD DL and dedicated by the Venerable F B Macnutt, Archdeacon of Leicester.

The names of 14 parishioners who died during the Second World War were subsequently added to the west face of the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial, unveiled in 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: of roughly-hewn granite, with lead lettering inscriptions.

DESCRIPTION: situated in the churchyard of St Michael’s Church (Grade II*), the memorial is prominently located at the west end of the church, in front of the west tower. It stands on a three-stepped square base, and comprises a tapering plinth surmounted by a roughly-hewn tapered shaft with a Celtic wheel cross. The wheel cross in decorated with deeply incised interlacing.

The inscriptions are set into recessed panels on the plinth. The inscription on the west face reads:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE / GALLANT MEN OF STONEY STANTON / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / FOR THEIR COUNTRY / 1914 – 1919 1939-1945 / LEST WE FORGET

Below are listed the name, rank and regiment of the 14 men who died during the Second World War. The name, rank and regiment of the 43 parishioners who died during the First World War are recorded on the north and south face of the plinth.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 30 January 2025 to update the address

Sources

Websites
Stoney Stanton War Memorial, accessed 17 September 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14571
Leicestershire County Council War Memorials Project: St Michael's Churchyard - Stoney Stanton, accessed 15 October 2019 from http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/memorials/view/1093

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