Summary

The War Memorial Lych Gate at Yate is of 1921 date and designed by W.D Caröe. It is built of local stone and tile with embellishments such as stone corbels. Inscribed plaques commemorating the fallen in both wars are fixed to the interior.

Description

A memorial lych gate of 1921, by W.D Caröe. It is constructed of coarsely dressed local Cotswold stone, ashlar dressings, stone tiles and timber. The hipped roof of stone tiles has a raised ridge and is surmounted by a small timber cross. The two arches are formed from limestone ashlar. False buttresses with coping tiles flank the sides of the structure. The vaulted ceiling is of coarsely dressed stone. Inset into the opposing interior walls are stone plaques commemorating the fallen. The earlier plaque is inscribed: IN·MEMORY·OF·THE·MEN·OF·YATE/ WHO·FELL·IN·THE·GREAT·WAR·1914-1918/ THIS·GATE·WAS·ERECTED·BY/ THEIR·FELLOW·PARISHIONERS. Below this text is inscribed the names of the dead (32). On the opposite wall another plaque is inscribed; WE REMEMBER BEFORE GOD/ THOSE OF YATE WHO IN THE FORCES/ OR IN CIVILIAN SERVICE/ GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR 1939-1945. Below this text the names of the dead are inscribed (11). In the lower part of the plaque the text reads PRAYING THAT WE WITH THEM/ MAY ATTAIN ETERNAL LIFE/ THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. The structure has timber gates with iron fittings and is incorporated into the boundary walls of the Church of St. Mary (Grade I).

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 10 January 2017.

History

The lych gate was unveiled on 2 January 1921 by Colonel Burges of Ridge House and the Rector of the Church of St. Mary’s, James Madden Ford, to commemorate those of the parish who fell during the First World War. The names of those who had fallen in the Second World War were added later.

Reasons for Listing

The War Memorial Lych Gate at St Mary's Church, Yate, Gloucestershire is designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial, well-realised in design and using quality materials, the lych gate was designed by the renowned ecclesiastical architect W.D Caröe.
* Historic interest: it has strong cultural and historical significance within both a local and national context.
* Communal: it forms a poignant reminder of the effects of tragic world events on this local community
* Setting: the lych gate contributes to its setting at the entrance to the Grade I listed Church of St Mary.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26676408

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

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2