History in Structure

Shepshed War Memorial

A Grade II Listed Building in Shepshed, Leicestershire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.7707 / 52°46'14"N

Longitude: -1.2941 / 1°17'38"W

OS Eastings: 447719

OS Northings: 319471

OS Grid: SK477194

Mapcode National: GBR 7JC.9M4

Mapcode Global: WHDHP.3M07

Plus Code: 9C4WQPC4+78

Entry Name: Shepshed War Memorial

Listing Date: 26 October 2012

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1411447

ID on this website: 101411447

Location: Shepshed, Charnwood, Leicestershire, LE12

County: Leicestershire

District: Charnwood

Civil Parish: Shepshed

Built-Up Area: Shepshed

Traditional County: Leicestershire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Leicestershire

Church of England Parish: Shepshed St Botolph

Church of England Diocese: Leicester

Tagged with: Memorial

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Summary


First World War memorial designed by John Daymond & Son and unveiled in 1918.

Description


MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is a square pillar with a moulded plinth and square piers projecting obliquely at each corner, standing on a three-stepped base. It has a plain frieze and projecting cornice with egg and dart enrichment. It is surmounted by a smaller square pillar with a plain cornice, supporting a circular finial with a crowning bronze flame. There are fourteen rectangular marble tablets around the main pillar which were originally intended for names but are unused. The four sides of the smaller square pillar are engraved with the following: TO THE MEN WHO CAME/ FROM SHEPSHED/ OAKS-IN-CHARNWOOD/ AND CHARLEY/ 1914-1918/ FOR GOD/ KING AND/ COUNTRY. On the outward face each corner pier are carved wreaths incorporating three small panels arranged in a vertical line. The panels are engraved as follows: DARDANELLES/ YPRES/ FALKLANDS; HOOGE/ LOOS/ JUTLAND; VERDUN/ VIMY RIDGE/ CAMBRIA; AISNE/ MONS/ MARNE. The large bronze plaque on the main face of the pillar is inscribed ‘THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES/ 1914-1918’ followed by the names of the fallen; and underneath is inscribed ‘THESE ALSO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ 1939-1945’ followed by their names. A more recent black marble tablet on the plinth commemorates the names of the sponsors.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 19 January 2017.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17 May 2022 to correct a typo in the address



History


The memorial was designed by John Daymond & Son and cost £462 10s to construct. It was privately funded and donated to the town by Mr & Mrs Harriman. The memorial was unveiled on 2 February 1918 by the Duke of Rutland and was dedicated by the Revd H. D. Goe-Clark and the Revd A. H. Collard from Charnwood Road Baptist Chapel. It was erected during the war as its original dedication was to have been to the 781 men from the three parishes who joined up. By the time of its erection however, 76 of the men were known to have died. A bronze plaque was added in August 1926 with the names of the fallen from the First World War inscribed by Messrs Z. Tailby and Son of Loughborough. The names of those who died during the Second World War were later added. The fourteen marble tablets on the memorial are unused. In 1953 the memorial was removed from its original position in the Market Place and relocated to the east side of Glenmore Park where it was reconsecrated on 5 November 1953. It was then floodlit until 11 November.

John Daymond (c1847-1934) was the third of three generations of stone masons who operated a business near Vincent Square in London. His grandfather, John Daymond established the firm c1841 and it was continued by his father, also John Daymond (c1821-1898). The third John Daymond was apprenticed as a stone carver by the age of 14 and took over the family business in the 1890s. He had a son, John Dudley Daymond (born c1880) who also became an architectural sculptor by 1901. There are no buildings on the List associated with the Daymond family.

Reasons for Listing


The war memorial, designed by John Daymond & Son and unveiled in 1918, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: it has special historic interest commemorating those members of the community who died in the First and Second World Wars;
* Architectural interest: it is a finely crafted, imposing monument in the classical style, demonstrating a skilful handling of Portland stone by John Daymond & Son, an established family firm of stone masons.

External Links

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