St Neots War Memorial

St Mary's Churchyard, Brook Street, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, PE19 1JF

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438089
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: St Neots War Memorial
Statutory Address:: St Mary's Churchyard, Brook Street, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, PE19 1JF

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438089
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: St Neots War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St Mary's Churchyard, Brook Street, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, PE19 1JF

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:: St Mary's Churchyard, Brook Street, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, PE19 1JF

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

County:: Cambridgeshire
District:: Huntingdonshire (District Authority)
Parish:: St. Neots
National Grid Reference:: TL1842760213

Summary

First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

St Neots 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 this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: an elegant memorial pillar with carved decorative details; * Group value: with St Mary the Virgin Church (Grade I).

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 the country, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 St Neots as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates 76 local servicemen who fell during the First World War. The burial ground of St Neots Parish Church which was closed in 1880 was used for the site of the memorial.

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the 22 fallen of that conflict.

In 2010 the memorial was cleaned and repaired with the help of grant aid from the War Memorials Trust.

Details

MATERIALS: limestone pillar, brick and paved base.

DESCRIPTION: St Neots war memorial comprises a two-tiered pillar decorated at the top with a stone collar edged with hollow dropped squares, from which hang carved floral garlands incorporating a poppy-head at the centre point.

The dedicatory inscription is incised onto the front face and reads: THE/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD/ 1914 – 1918/ 1939 – 1945.

The side faces are inscribed on a panel in lead lettering with the names of the fallen from the First World War. The names of the fallen from the Second World War in leaded lettering are inscribed on a panel on the lower tier.

The memorial is set upon a three-stepped base, each step topped with paving slabs.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum: War Memorials Register, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/356
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 July 2016 from http://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/122104
War Memorials Trust, accessed 21 July 2016 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=901

Legal

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