Lake War Memorial

Overview

Location

Summary

First World War memorial with further inscriptions added following the Second World War and Malayan Emergency.

Reasons for Designation

Lake 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:

* as a well-crafted rough-hewn granite wheel cross carved with a longsword in raised relief.

Group value:

* with the adjacent Grade II-listed memorial drinking fountain and trough to animals (dogs and horses) lost during the First World War.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw a huge wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. One such memorial was erected in Lake as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 210 members of the local community who served and 56 who died during the First World War. Next to it is a Grade II-listed memorial drinking fountain and trough to animals (dogs and horses) lost during the First World War, which is inscribed ‘To the horses and dogs who also bore the burden and heat of the day 1914-1920’. The trough was originally situated at the junction of Lake Hill and Sandown Road. By 1992 the trough had been moved to the junction of Lake Hill and The Fairway and in 1998 the memorial cross was also relocated to this site. Further plaques were added to the memorial cross in 1999, commemorating 22 members of the community who lost their lives in the Second World War, and in 2012, relating to the Malayan Emergency.

Details

First World War memorial with further inscriptions added following the Second World War and Malayan Emergency.

MATERIALS: carved from Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands at the junction of Lake Hill and The Fairway. It comprises a rough-hewn granite wheel cross with a tapering shaft, set upon a tapering plinth and a square base. A longsword is carved in raised relief on the cross; the crossguard of the sword matching where the cross’ shaft and crossarm meet. The south face of the plinth bears the inscription: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ WHO GIVETH US THE VICTORY/ AND IN MEMORY OF OUR HEROIC DEAD/ (NAMES)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE. The west face reads: THE PEOPLE OF LAKE/ HAVE ERECTED THIS MEMORIAL/ IN HONOUR OF THE/ 210 LAKE MEN WHO SERVED/ THEIR COUNTRY BY LAND/ SEA AND AIR/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 -1920/ 1939 – 1945 while the east face is inscribed: O RISEN LORD/ O SHEPHERD OF OUR DEAD/ WHOSE CROSS HAS BOUGHT THEM/ AND WHO STAFF HAS LED/ IN GLORIOUS HOPE THEIR PROUD/ AND SORROWING LAND/ COMMITS HER CHILDREN/ TO THY GRACIOUS HAND/ J.S. ARKWRIGHT. On the north face of the plinth is a granite tablet which reads: TO COMMEMORATE/ THE BRAVE MEN OF LAKE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ DURING ACTIVE SERVICE IN/ WORLD WAR II 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES)/ MALAYA 1948 – 1960/ (NAME)/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register Number 21807, accessed 28 April 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/21807
Isle of Wight Memorials: Lake, accessed 28 April 2017 from www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/towns/lake.htm
War Memorials Online: Memorial 174413, accessed 27 July 2017 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/174413

Legal

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