Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The Portland stone memorial stands on a small green area in the junction of High Street and North Lane, to the north-west of the Church of St Mary (Grade II*-listed) and the Grade II-listed churchyard gates, with numerous other listed buildings in the environs. It takes the form of a Gothic shrine surmounted by a cross.

The two-stepped base, square on plan, is surmounted by a tall plinth of two stages, chamfered at the corners. The middle stage provides four panels facing north, south, east and west, separated at the corners by tall splayed blind panels with Gothic ornament and gabled heads. This is surmounted by a short octagonal drum with recessed blind panels with ogee heads on the north, south, east and west faces. The whole is surmounted by a tapering spire topped by a small floriated wheel-head cross.

On the west-facing panel of the central stage the principal dedicatory inscription reads: +/ IN PROUD/ AND GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WARS/ 1914 - 1919/ &/ 1939 - 1945. On the panels facing north and south are inscribed 38 names in alphabetical order. On the panel facing east is the inscription RIP/ 1939 – 1945, followed by eight names in alphabetical order. Two curved stone dwarf walls enclose the monument, broken by an entrance to the south.

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Buriton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 38 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial scheme was promoted by Lothian Bonham-Carter JP and funded by public subscription: £115 was collected by parishioners. The monument was designed by the architect HT Edwards and erected by the Art Memorial Company of West Norwood, London. It was unveiled by Major General Gunning Campbell, commandant of the Royal Marine Artillery at nearby Eastney, and the Bishop of Guildford dedicated it, in June 1920.

Following the Second World War, the names of eight men who died in that conflict were added.

Reasons for Listing

Buriton War Memorial, which stands in the junction of High Street and North Lane, 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* A memorial in the Gothic style, built in Portland stone.

Group value

* With the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary and numerous Grade II-listed buildings in the environs.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q55709488

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)