Otterbourne War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial cross, erected 1920 with Second World War inscriptions added.

Reasons for Designation

Otterbourne 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 sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a well-composed Latin cross monument which stands as a particularly good example of its type for the period.

Group value:

* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Matthew, along with the Grade II-listed tomb and lychgate situated in the southern part of the churchyard.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Prior to then memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, 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.

Otterbourne War Memorial was built early in 1920 with funds raised through donations and public subscription. The narrow green that the memorial occupies, immediately to the south-east of the Church of St Matthew, was donated by Tankerville Chamberlayne of Cranbury Park in Otterbourne, whose younger son is amongst the names of those commemorated. Mr Henry LG Hall designed and supervised the work undertaken by Vokes and Beck of Winchester. The service of commemoration was held on 12 December 1920, led by the Dean Canon PR Braithwaite. At an early stage the memorial was vandalised, as was recorded by the Parish Council in 1921. Following further vandalism, the memorial was restored by public subscription in 1987 and was rededicated in November the same year.

Details

First World War Memorial erected 1920 to the designs Henry LG Hall of Winchester.

MATERIALS: Portland stone

DESCRIPTION: The memorial stands outside the boundary of the Church of St Matthew (on a green to the south-east). It takes the form of a Latin cross raised on a plinth with decorative scroll brackets. The square stepped base of the memorial features corner piers capped with orb finials and has bench seating set between on each side. The plinth carries applied-metal inscriptions, the south-eastern face reading, ‘IN MEMORIAM 1914-1918/ ERECTED AS AN EXPRESSION OF/ PROFOUND THANKFULNESS TO ALMIGHTY GOD/ FOR A WONDERFUL DELIVERANCE IN THE GREAT WAR,/ AS A TRIBUTE TO THE MEN FROM/ OTTERBOURNE AND ALLBROOK WHO SERVED/ AND IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THOSE WHO FELL/ WHOSE NAMES ARE INSCRIBED HEREON/ (names)’. The other three faces record further names (40 in total) under the inscription ‘FOR KING AND COUNTRY’. The names of the seven who fell in the Second World War are recorded on a stone tablet set against the step to the plinth of the memorial. This has the dates ‘1939’ and ‘1945’ inscribed on its ends between simple carved scrolls, but carries no additional inscription.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online: Otterbourne War Memorial, accessed 4 October 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/136020
IWM War Memorials Register: Otterbourne, accessed 4 October 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/21913
Roll of Honour: Hampshire, Otterbourne and Allbrook War Memorial, accessed 4 October 2019 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Hampshire/Otterbourne.html

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