Digby War Memorial

Digby War Memorial, Churchyard of St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Church Street, Digby, Lincoln, LN4 3LZ

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Overview

First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War, erected in 1920. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1485392
Date first listed:: 07-Aug-2024
List Entry Name:: Digby War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Digby War Memorial, Churchyard of St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Church Street, Digby, Lincoln, LN4 3LZ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1485392
Date first listed:: 07-Aug-2024
List Entry Name:: Digby War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Digby War Memorial, Churchyard of St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Church Street, Digby, Lincoln, LN4 3LZ

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Digby War Memorial, Churchyard of St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Church Street, Digby, Lincoln, LN4 3LZ

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Lincolnshire
District:: North Kesteven (District Authority)
Parish:: Digby
National Grid Reference:: TF0804454790

Summary

First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War, erected in 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Digby 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-executed memorial in the form of a tapered cross shaft.

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, as a result both of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities, and of 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.

Digby War Memorial was unveiled on 22 August 1920 in the attendance of the local clergy and dignitaries. It stands in the churchyard of St Thomas a Becket Church, to the left of the main gate. The memorial identifies the surname, rank, and regiment of twenty-five soldiers who died across the First and Second World Wars.

On 11 November 1933, The Sleaford Gazette reported that Mr W M Creswell, Chairman of the British Legion, was chosen to place the members wreath on the Digby War Memorial following the mornings Armistice service.

Details

This entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 21 August 2024. The GIS triangle depiction was moved from TF0803854804 to TF0804454790. Thus placing it on the building.

First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War, erected in 1920.

MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed of pink Aberdeen Granite on a concrete base.

PLAN: the memorial is square on plan.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent roadside location within the boundary of the churchyard of the Church of St Thomas a Becket (Grade I). It is composed of a rounded, inscribed cross, standing on an inscribed, square plinth. Below, the plinth stands on a two-stepped concrete base.

The inscription on front of base of the memorial reads: ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF/ MEN OF THIS PARISH, WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR JUSTICE, KING, AND COUNTRY,/ IN THE GRAT WAR 1914-1918./ THIS MONUMENT IS SET UP BY THE PARISHIONERS OF DIGBY.’ The front of the cross is inscribed: ‘THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.’

The rear of the base of the memorial reads: ‘ALSO IN MEMORY/ OF THOSE WHO FELL/ IN WAR 1939-1945/ NAMES.’ The other opposite sides of the base are inscribed with ‘NAMES.’ All the letters are inscribed in white.

Sources

Books and journals
Credland, Michael (Author), The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire, (2014), 3
Websites
Imperial War Museum , accessed 03/06/2024 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20438
War Memorials Online, accessed 03-06-2024 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/260500/

Legal

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