Wroxall War Memorial

St John the Evangelist Church, St John's Road, Wroxall, Isle of Wight, PO38 3BH

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

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1464773
Date first listed:: 05-Jul-2019
List Entry Name:: Wroxall War Memorial
Statutory Address:: St John the Evangelist Church, St John's Road, Wroxall, Isle of Wight, PO38 3BH

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1464773
Date first listed:: 05-Jul-2019
List Entry Name:: Wroxall War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St John the Evangelist Church, St John's Road, Wroxall, Isle of Wight, PO38 3BH

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 John the Evangelist Church, St John's Road, Wroxall, Isle of Wight, PO38 3BH

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

District:: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Wroxall
National Grid Reference:: SZ5508679906

Summary

A war memorial, commemorating the fallen of Wroxall, designed by Frank Moorman of Ventnor and unveiled in October 1920, with a later addition and alteration of about 1945.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial to the south of the Church of St John, Wroxall, Isle of Wight 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 an accomplished and well-realised war memorial, which takes the form of an octagonal stone shaft with base and lantern head.

Group value:

* with the Church of St John, Wroxall (Grade II), in which churchyard it stands to the south of the church.

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 Wroxall, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made. The memorial was unveiled by HRH Princess Beatrice at a service on 8 October 1920 conducted by The Revd R Heaton. A further plaque commemorating the fallen from the Second World War was added after 1945.

Details

A war memorial, commemorating the fallen of Wroxall, designed by Frank Moorman of Ventnor and unveiled in October 1920, with a later addition and alteration of about 1945.

MATERIALS & PLAN: the monument stands to the south of the church and is of ashlar with a stepped plinth, square base and octagonal shaft, supporting a lantern with four sides.

DESCRIPTION: the monument sits on a plinth of four steps which support a square base. To each side of the base are inset, rectangular panels. That on the western side has wording, in raised Gothic script, which reads: 'A.MEMORIAL.TO / WROXALL.MEN / WHO.LAID.DOWN / THEIR.LIVES.IN.THE / GREAT.WAR.1914-19'. Underneath, on a separate tablet, placed at an angle on the top step of the base is the inscription '1939-1945' with names of the fallen below. The inset panels on the other three sides contain the names of the fallen from the First world War. The top of the base has square finials with flared tops to the corners. The octagonal shaft has a moulded base and an astragal to the neck, with a flared capital which supports a lantern with four closed sides and miniature gables. At the summit is a cross finial.

Sources

Websites
Isle of Wight War Memorials, accessed 28/05/2019 from http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/towns/wroxallwm.htm?COLLCC=4224192806&
IWM Register, accessed 28/05/2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/21892

Legal

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