Summary

First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Thomas. It comprises a Celtic-style wheel-head cross decorated with a carved central boss, around which are carved knotwork decorative details. The cross rises from a tapered shaft. It is set upon a square plinth and a three-stepped base.

There are inscriptions on four sides of the plinth. The First World War dedication reads: ERECTED BY THE INHABITANTS/ OF/ HENBURY AND BROKEN CROSS/ IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ A GLORIOUS DEATH IS HIS WHO FOR HIS COUNTRY FALLS. Two sides of the plinth are inscribed with the names of the fallen.

The final side is inscribed with: THESE MEN GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ THEIR NAMES LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ (NAMES).

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 the country, 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 Henbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Henbury and Broken Cross War Memorial commemorates 18 local servicemen who fell during the First World War. It includes the name of a soldier who was awarded the Victoria Cross, Wilfrith Elstrob (although he was erroneously listed as Wilfred on the memorial). Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the four fallen of that conflict.

Due to the collapse of a field drain nearby the memorial had begun to suffer from subsidence and in 2006 it was conserved with the help of grant aid from the War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Henbury and Broken Cross 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 this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant Celtic-style wheel-head cross with carved decorative details;
* Group value: with the Church of St Thomas (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478097

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

• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
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  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
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  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)