Summary

First World War memorial, erected 1923, with later addition for the Second World War.

Description

First World War memorial, erected 1923, with later addition for the Second World War.

DESCRIPTION

The memorial is prominently sited in the village, opposite the pond. It is carved from stone and consists of a tall, chamfered Latin cross, a plinth with chamfered top and base and a three-stepped octagonal base. The front face of the plinth has a stone panel that has the dedicatory inscription. This reads:

FOR GOD, KING, AND COUNTRY/ TO THE/ SACRED MEMORY/ OF THE ASHMORE MEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR./ (NAMES)/ 1939 1945/ (NAME). The upper part of the inscription is flanked by 1914 and 1918.

The other three sides of the plinth have horizontal ashlar bands and flint.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES
The war memorial is surrounded by low wooden posts and link chains.

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 Ashmore as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the five local men who lost their lives in the First World War. It was designed by E J Brett of Fletcher and Brett, a firm of architects and surveyors in Wimborne, and was made by C S Green of Blandford. It was unveiled on 10 August 1923 by Eliot Howard, owner of the Ashmore Estate.

Following the Second World War an inscription was added to commemorate a serviceman who died during that conflict.

Reasons for Listing

Ashmore War Memorial 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 a thoughtfully-designed and simple memorial in the form of a Latin cross.

Group value:

* it stands close to a number of listed buildings, including Pond House (formerly South’s Farmhouse) and Glebe Farmhouse, which are both listed at Grade II.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q101412147

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.

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