Moulton War Memorial

Summary

A First World War memorial, built 1920; altered after the Second World War and later.

Reasons for Designation

Moulton 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 fine example of an ornate churchyard memorial cross.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Peter.

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. One such memorial was raised in the churchyard at Moulton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 18 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

It was constructed by Mr WJ Nutty and unveiled on 23 May 1920 by Lieutenant RT Robins.

The names of seven parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial, as was the name of a single casualty of the Korean War.

Details

A First World War memorial, built 1920; altered after the Second World War and later.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent location in the churchyard of the Grade I-listed Church of St Peter outside the main (north) entrance.

The memorial comprises a Latin cross with flared arms on top of a slender octagonal shaft and carved foot and plinth, standing on top of a tall three-stepped base. The main inscription is on the front (west) faces of the steps of the base, and reads on the upper step IN GRATEFUL AND HONOURED MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF MOULTON / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918. On the middle step is inscribed the names of the fallen, and on the bottom step is inscribed REST ETERNAL GRANT TO THEM O LORD. The names of the First World War fallen are also listed on the northern and southern faces of the middle step.

The rear (east) faces of the steps are inscribed on the upper step, 1939–1945, and below on the middle step the names of the seven fallen in that conflict. The lower step is inscribed KOREA and the name of the one fallen above the inscribed date 1951.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, Imperial War Museum – Moulton, accessed 16 January 2020 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4572
War Memorials Online – Moulton War Memorial, accessed 16 January 2020 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/255807/

Other
Bury Free Press, Saturday May 29 1920, Moulton War Memorial: The Unveiling on Whit-Sunday, p3

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