Summary
First World War memorial in the churchyard extension of the parish church of All Saints, Cotgrave, unveiled in 1920.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial situated in the churchyard extension of the parish church of All Saints, Cotgrave, dating to 1920, 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 good example of the work of Arthur Brewill, an architect of considerable repute.
Group Value:
* with the Grade II listed lychgate and attached walls to the cemetery, and the nearby Grade I listed Church of All Saints.
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 750,000 British lives, and also 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. One such memorial was raised at Cotgrave as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 13 parishioners of Cotgrave who lost their lives in the First World War, with a later addition of four names commemorating those whose lives were lost in the Second World War.
The memorial was designed by architect Lt Col Arthur William Brewill (1861-1923). Articled to Samuel Dutton Walker, Brewill was educated at the Nottingham School of Art. He produced 43 buildings that are now included on the List. The majority of his work can be found in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and includes a number of parish churches, civic buildings, and the philanthrophic housing at New Bolsover Model Village. Brewill volunteered with the Robin Hood Rifles in 1881 and went on to serve with the Sherwood Foresters during the First World War. After 1918 he worked on a number of significant memorials, including Crich Stand, the Grade II* listed memorial to the Sherwood Foresters; and the Albert Ball Memorial Homes along with their own associated memorial, all of which are Grade II* listed.
Cotgrave War Memorial was unveiled in June 1920.
Details
A First World War memorial, built 1920.
MATERIALS: Stonecliffe stone and bronze.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands on raised ground in the churchyard extension of the Grade I listed parish church of All Saints, at the corner of Plumtree Road and Scrimshire Lane. The memorial has a base of three steps surmounted by a square plinth supporting a cross of octagonal section. A bronze sword and wreath are mounted on the front face of the tapering shaft of the cross.
Two bronze plaques are mounted on the front face of the square plinth. The inscription on the uppermost plaque in raised lettering reads: TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN OF / THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918. The names of 12 parishioners are given followed by the quotation: “BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AND / I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE.” An inscription on the south face of the plinth adds the name of Pte Walter Henstock who died in the month preceding the unveiling of the memorial. The lower bronze plaque has an inscription in raised lettering beginning with the dates 1939-1945 followed by the names of four parishioners whose lives were lost, and the words: BE YE ALSO FAITHFUL.
