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Shawford Down War Memorial listing Grade II

Shawford Down War Memorial listing

Shawford Down War Memorial listing
2 January 2015: The War Memorial with Twyford Church in the distance

WCC’s Historic Environment Team has announced that the War Memorial on Shawford Down is now a Grade II listed monument.

This was done as part of Historic England’s War Memorials Listing Project

In 2014, to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Historic England began a five-year project to list 2,500 war memorials. The List is officially known as the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). It covers all listed buildings, scheduled monuments, protected wrecks and registered parks, gardens and battlefields.

The Government is funding the project through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Summary of Listing

This building is listed, under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (as amended), for its special architectural or historic interest.
Name: Shawford Down War Memorial
List entry Number: 1437813
Grade: II
Date first listed: 14-Sep-2016

Reasons for Designation

Shawford Down War Memorial, unveiled 4 April 1921, 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 simple yet dignified memorial cross in Portland stone.

History

[The] memorial was dedicated at Shawford Down by the Bishop of Winchester on 4 April 1921 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 17 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the 14 fallen of that conflict.

In 2014 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

DESCRIPTION: Shawford Down War Memorial comprises a double-headed Latin cross with four arms so that the cross can be viewed from all directions. The cross rises from a square plan plinth.

You can find the complete listing at https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1437813

About the War Memorial

Local residents and visitors to Shawford Down will be familiar with the War Memorial as a local landmark. However, you may not even have thought about the four-armed design which makes it so recognisable from all angles.

On Remembrance Sunday every year, there is a brief act of remembrance on Shawford Down. All are welcome.

It starts at the Wayside Cross, which honours the memory of the thousands of troops who passed by on their way to embark for conflict. There is a prayer, laying of wreaths, and the list of the fallen from the First World War. Then the Remembrance Day party moves to the War Memorial for another prayer, wreath laying, and list of the fallen from World War II.

To mark the Grade II listing of the War Memorial, we include some photos. They were taken at different times of year, different times of day, and from different directions. They also show the Remembrance Day ceremony in all weathers.

Image Gallery


Links

Further reading

NameSizeHits
Wayside Cross Rededication Service Sheet November 1994120 KB790
Shawford Wayside Cross IMI Completion report 2014102 KB404
Shawford War Memorial IMI Completion report 2014110 KB781
Shawford Down War Memorial Inscription477 KB1239