Steeple Morden War Memorial

Churchyard of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Hay Street, Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, SG8 0NJ

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

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1439069
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Steeple Morden War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Hay Street, Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, SG8 0NJ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1439069
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Steeple Morden War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Hay Street, Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, SG8 0NJ

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:: Churchyard of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Hay Street, Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, SG8 0NJ

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

County:: Cambridgeshire
District:: South Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
Parish:: Steeple Morden
National Grid Reference:: TL2860142495

Summary

First World War memorial by Jeffrey Lucas unveiled on 12 December 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Steeple Morden 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 ornate and striking memorial cross surmounting an elegant polygonal plinth and base; * Group value: with the Church of St Peter and St Paul (Grade II*).

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, 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 Steeple Morden as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Steeple Morden War Memorial was designed by Jeffrey Lucas and constructed by W Whitehead of Royston. It was dedicated on Sunday 12 December 1920 and unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel E C M Phillips DSO.

The memorial was conserved in 2009 with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Details

MATERIALS: Ketton stone with flint panels.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a small medieval cross rising from a tapering octagonal shaft. The shaft is mounted on a polygonal plinth, itself surmounting a polygonal base with flint panels.

The inscriptions are carved in relief and read: STEEPLE MORDEN/ IN HONOUR OF THOSE/ WHO FOUGHT & IN/ MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919.

The left and right panels either side of this inscription are both headed by the word FALLEN followed by the names of those who fell.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/121638
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/865
War Memorials Trust, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=883

Legal

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