Summary
First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1920.
Description
Corston and Rodbourne War Memorial stands at the centre of Corston at the junction between Main Road and Rodbourne Road, on the approach to the church of All Saints (Grade II*) and in front of The Hermitage (Grade II). It is set on a small green in a rectangular gravelled area, enclosed by a low concrete kerb with slab coping.
The stone memorial comprises a small wheel cross set on the top of a tall tapering chamfered shaft, rectangular on plan. The cross shaft rises from a tapered plinth that stands on a two-stepped base. The panels of the plinth and base are incised and leaded with a dedication inscription and the names of the fallen.
The main inscription is on the north face of the plinth, beginning THE/ GREAT WAR flanked by the dates 1914 and 1918 and continuing below OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI/ (11 NAMES).
A further inscription on the north face of the upper step reads GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. The final inscription is found on the west face of the upper step reads IN HONOUR OF THE 64 MEN OF CORSTON &/ RODBOURNE WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR.
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 erected in Corston to a design by CA Hughes of Malmesbury. It commemorates not only the 11 local servicemen who died, but all who served in the First World War.
The design and location of the memorial were chosen by a Committee, following consultation with local residents. The memorial was unveiled on Saturday 30 October 1920 and dedicated by the Archdeacon of Swindon. The cost was £65, and 3s 4d per dozen letters for the inscriptions: the memorial was subscribed to by ‘practically every family in the parish’ with fundraising bringing in £87 4s 0d.
The memorial was cleaned and repaired in 2016 with the help of a grant from War Memorials Trust.
Reasons for Listing
Corston and Rodbourne War Memorial, which stands at a road junction in the centre of Corston, 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 First World War;
Architectural interest:
* a simple yet poignant wheel-head cross memorial which, unusually, has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration and thus retains its original design intent.
Group value:
* with the Grade II*-listed Church of All Saints, and The Hermitage (Grade II).
External Links
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
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)