Great Carlton War Memorial, Great Carlton, Lincolnshire

Summary

A First World War memorial in the form of a wheel cross constructed before 1920.

Description

A First World War memorial, built after 1918 and unveiled in 1920.

MATERIALS AND PLAN: the memorial is square on plan and is constructed of Granite and York stone with leaded lettering.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent roadside location on the junction of Main Road and Glebe Road, approx 47m east of the entrance to the church of St John the Baptist (Grade II). It is set slightly back from the road within a grass verge.

The memorial comprises a wheel cross in the Celtic style decorated with Celtic knots. The tapered base of the cross stands on an inscribed plinth, atop a stepped granite base.

The main inscription, in blackened lead lettering on the front of the plinth reads: IN HONOUR OF/ THE GREAT CALRTON MEN/ WHO ANSWERED THE CALL/ OF KING AND COUNTRY/ 1914-1918/ TO GOD THE GLORY. The names of the 49 members of the parish who served in the conflict are inscribed on the three remaining faces.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Great Carlton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 49 members of the local community who served in the First World War. It was unveiled in 1920 at a ceremony attended by local clergy and dignitaries.

The memorial was built by the Mawer Brothers of Louth. Other examples of the Mawer Brothers work within Louth and Lincolsnhire which have been listed are South Somercotes War Memorial, Covenham St Bartholomew War Memorial, Stenigot War Memorial and Tathwell War Memorial.

The war memorial was originally erected outside the Church Institute, and was moved to its present location in 2000.

Reasons for Listing

Great Carlton 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 well-executed memorial in the form of a Celtic wheel cross.

External Links

Historic England Listing

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.