Freeland War Memorial
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wroslyn Road, Freeland, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 8AZ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1464904
- Date first listed:
- 22-Aug-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Freeland War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wroslyn Road, Freeland, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 8AZ
Location
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Find PhotosOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1464904
- Date first listed:
- 22-Aug-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Freeland War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wroslyn Road, Freeland, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 8AZ
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wroslyn Road, Freeland, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 8AZ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Oxfordshire
- District:
- West Oxfordshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Freeland
- National Grid Reference:
- SP4141312698
Summary
A First World War memorial of 1919, with later Second World War inscriptions.
Reasons for Designation
Freeland War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, 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: * a well-crafted, calvary-type, First World War memorial, with later Second World War inscriptions. Group value: * with the adjacent Grade II* listed Church of St Mary, and its Grade II listed Lychgate.
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 Freeland as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. After the Second World War, the names of the fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial. Freeland War Memorial was built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley and was unveiled on 8 November 1919. Farmer and Brindley were a prominent firm of architectural masons whose work features on a number of notable buildings, including the Natural History Museum, London. They also built a number of war memorials including the Grade II listed memorials at Orpington, Hilton and Duxford. In 2017, conservation of the memorial was completed, with grant aid funding from War Memorials Trust.
Details
A First World War memorial of 1919, with later Second World War inscriptions.
MATERIALS: Portland stone
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located within the churchyard of the Church of St Mary and stands to the south-east of the church and to the south-west of the Lychgate. It faces north-east and has a gabled Calvary cross with a carved 'INRI' scroll above a sculpture of Jesus Christ on the cross. Lower down the shaft there is a carved shield with the text 'IHS', carved in relief. The tapering octagonal shaft, rises from a moulded, octagonal base. This stands on a two-stepped octagonal plinth, which in turn, is set upon a shallow square platform.
The north-east face of the base is inscribed 'JESU/ MERCY'. The top step of the plinth bears an inscription which runs across the three north-east facing sides and reads 'IN LOVING AND GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF FREELAND WHO LAID DOWN/ THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918'. The dates '1939' and '1945' are incised on two other faces of the step. The three faces of the bottom step directly below the First World War inscription list the names of eight fallen from the First World War. Seven further names are incised on three other sides of the step.
Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museum WMA, accessed 3 June 2019 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/31543
War Memorials Online, accessed 3 June 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/219013
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 13-May-2025 at 16:55:13.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2025. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2025. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry
