Newport War Memorial, Isle of Wight

Summary

War memorial, unveiled in 1922. The memorial stands within a wider paved area in St Thomas’s Square to the south-west of the Church of St Thomas (Grade I). It is surrounded to the east, south and west by additional Grade II listed buildings over overlook the square. The memorial is enclosed by iron railings.

Reasons for Designation

Newport War Memorial, of 1922, 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 local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;

* the memorial has the distinction of having been unveiled by a member of the Royal Family; HRH Princess Beatrice, Governor of the Isle of Wight in 1922. Architectural interest: * a well-executed example of a restrained but dignified wheel-headed cross stone monument.

Group value:

* the memorial has a group value with the adjacent Grade I Church of St Thomas.

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 St Thomas’s Square, Newport. It provides a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 341 members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War. Panels bearing the names of some 150 men who died in the Second World War and one name from the First World War were added in 2000. Six Second World War names were added between 2000 and 2006 and three further names from this conflict were added after 2006

The Newport War Memorial was unveiled on 16 September 1922 by HRH Princess Beatrice, Governor of the Isle of Wight, and dedicated by the Vicar of Newport. Following designs by Alderman JC Millgate JP, the memorial was constructed by the Bath and Portland Stone Firms and erected by Messrs T and EW Jenkins of Newport with assistance from Messrs J Samuel White and Co of Cowes. The bronze panels were cast and worked by Messrs JS Singer & Sons of Frome. The memorial was funded by public subscription, with around 1500 people contributing a total of £1562 10s 8d. A surplus of £450 from the fund was used to purchase the Newport Blue School as the Newport War Memorial Nursing Home.

Details

War memorial, unveiled in 1922. The memorial stands within a wider paved area in St Thomas’s Square to the south-west of the Church of St Thomas (Grade I). The memorial is enclosed by iron railings.

Materials: Portland stone with bronze panels.

Description: the memorial takes the form of a wheel-headed cross on a tall, tapering octagonal shaft rising from a pedestal with a moulded foot on a two-stepped plinth. The arms of the cross bear nailhead moulding while the sections of the wheel have bead moulding. The north face of the pedestal bears a recessed bronze panel with the inscription ANNO/1914 and DOM/1918 at the top, either side of the town seal. Underneath is the inscription THIS MEMORIAL/ WAS ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE/ OF NEWPORT/ TO COMMEMORATE THE NAMES/ OF HER GALLANT SONS/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE./ “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS”. Underneath this panel is an additional bronze plaque reading ALSO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE 1939-1945 WAR/ AND THE GRATEFUL THANKS OF/ THOSE WHO RETURNED. The remaining sides of the pedestal have recessed bronze panels bearing the names of the First World War fallen underneath the inscription THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE.

The inscription 1939-1945 and the names of the fallen from the Second World War are recorded on three stone tablets fixed to the foot of the pedestal on the east, south and west sides. The tablet on the east side also bears one name from the First World War.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum - War Memorials Register, accessed 8th February 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/21809
Memorials & Monuments on the Isle of Wight – Newport, accessed 8th February 2019 from http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/towns/newport.htm
War Memorials Online, accessed 8th February 2019 from http://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/102281

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