Summary

A First World War memorial and boundary wall with gate and railings, built in 1919 and altered after the Second World War.

Description

A First World War memorial and boundary wall with gate and railings, built in 1919 and altered after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed of sandstone and gritstone ashlar. The boundary is constructed of a stone wall topped with iron railings.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent roadside location on the junction of Main Road and Ford Road. It is set within a small gravelled and lawned area, enclosed by low boundary to the roadside.

The memorial comprises a multi-faceted pillar topped with a floriated cross. The pillar comprises two parts; the upper a V-grooved column with splayed foot and surmounted by an octagonal tiered candle snuffer cap, and the lower an octagonal pedestal on a double plinth. Below the plinth, the pillar sits on an octagonal three-stepped base.

The faces of the pedestal bear the inscriptions in block capital letterings; the headings in relief and the names incised in blackened lettering below: REMEMBER [NAMES]/ THE GREAT/ SACRIFICE [NAMES]/ 1914-1919 [NAMES]/ 1939 1945 [NAMES].

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the south perimeter of the site is enclosed with a low stone wall surmounded with decorative iron railings.

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 at Marsh Lane as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 23 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was built by John Turner, under the supervision of Captain Archer of Ridgeway for Messrs Holmes and Sons, local architects. The foundation stones were laid on 9 August 1919 by Joseph Marriott, Thomas Greensmith, Jermyn Hutton, Edwin Peat and William Fox overseen by the Reverend J. A. Godfrey of Ridgeway. The memorial was later unveiled on 1 November 1919. The names of the 6 parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Marsh Lane War Memorial is listed at Grade 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 octagonal pillar topped with floriated cross surrounded by decorative iron railings.

Recommended Books

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)