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Summary

Memorial to the fallen of both World Wars.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1449907: Musbury War Memorial

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAR MEMORIAL (World War I to World War II - 1914 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Walls, S., 2010, The Materiality of Remembrance: Twentieth Century War Memorials in Devon, 296; Figure 6.62b; MUS01 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV355902.

The Musbury war memorial stone has the dates 1914-1919 included upon the memorials frame, but the central tablet had 1914-1918 inscribed. The different dates which appear upon the Musbury war memorial can be seen to reflect the replacement of the memorial tablet in order to append the Second World War casualties upon the same memorial.

Google, 2013, Google Streetview (Website). SDV350787.

A large plaque is visible, set atop the churchyard wall immediately south of the entrance gateway.

Brine, M. E., 2013, War Memorials, Photo (Website). SDV351333.

Musbury war memorial to the fallen of both World Wars forms a shrine at the church gateway.
Map boject based on this source.

Imperial War Museum, 2014, War Memorials Archive, 25359 (Website). SDV356253.

White stone tablet mounted on brown stone. Mount is pitched at top, set into church wall. Carved relief of laurel wreath at top centre, dates either side.
Inscription: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ FROM THIS PARISH WHO/ FELL IN THE TWO GREAT WARS/ 1914-1918/ (NAMES)/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES)/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

Historic England, 2017, Musbury War Memorial, c15m to the west of St Michael's Church, Musbury, Axminster, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360581.

Notification that the memorial has been added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.

Historic England, 2017, Musbury War Memorial, circa 15 metres to the west of St Michael's Church, Musbury, Axminster (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360323.

Historic England is currently considering whether the war memorial has special architectural or historic interest.
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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Musbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial cost £51 13s 4d, covered by public subscription of more than £60. It was unveiled and dedicated on 10 April 1921, commemorating eight soldiers killed, and one missing, during the conflict.
Following the Second World War the memorial’s inscription was renewed with a new tablet, continuing the First World War dedication with the details of four men who died between 1939 and 1945: two soldiers and two airmen.
Details
The dark freestone memorial stands on the top of the churchyard wall, to the west of the Church of St Michael (Grade I-listed) and immediately to the right of the churchyard gate. In the manner of a shrine, it takes the form of a memorial tablet fixed onto a raised panel with a pedimented top and two flanking, curved, braces on the sides, defining the shelf to the front (for the placement of floral tributes). The pediment includes a wreath, carved in relief, either side of which are the dates 1914, 1919.
The inscription reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ FROM THIS PARISH WHO/ FELL IN THE TWO GREAT WARS./ 1914 – 1918/ (8 NAMES)/ MISSING/ (1 NAME)/ 1939 – 1945/ (4 NAMES)/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. The names are recorded with regiment or Service.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1449907 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

Musbury War Memorial
Summary of Building
First World War memorial, unveiled 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Musbury War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Michael, 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 local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.     
Architectural interest:
*     A simple yet poignant and well-proportioned war memorial in the Classical style.
Group value:
* With the Church of St Michael (Grade I) and Musbury Farm House (Grade II).
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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Musbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial cost £51 13s 4d, covered by public subscription of more than £60. It was unveiled and dedicated on 10 April 1921, commemorating eight soldiers killed, and one missing, during the conflict.
Following the Second World War the memorial’s inscription was renewed with a new tablet, continuing the First World War dedication with the details of four men who died between 1939 and 1945: two soldiers and two airmen.
Details
The dark freestone memorial stands on the top of the churchyard wall, to the west of the Church of St Michael (Grade I-listed) and immediately to the right of the churchyard gate. In the manner of a shrine, it takes the form of a memorial tablet fixed onto a raised panel with a pedimented top and two flanking, curved, braces on the sides, defining the shelf to the front (for the placement of floral tributes). The pediment includes a wreath, carved in relief, either side of which are the dates 1914 and 1919.
The inscription reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ FROM THIS PARISH WHO/ FELL IN THE TWO GREAT WARS./ 1914 – 1918/ (8 NAMES)/ MISSING/ (1 NAME)/ 1939 – 1945/ (4 NAMES)/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. The names are recorded with regiment or Service.
Date first listed: 19th October 2017
This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 22 November 2017.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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