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Summary

Memorial to the fallen of both World Wars

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1463401: Talaton 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

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Walls, S., 2010, The Materiality of Remembrance: Twentieth Century War Memorials in Devon, 260; Figures 6.34, 6.60; TAL01 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV355902.

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

Talaton war memorial.
The inscription reads:
"1914 - 1918
To the Glory of God and in memory of the brave men of this parish who fell in the Great Wars"
The final "s" was added when the names of the three men killed between 1939 and 1945 were inscribed on the rear face of the plinth.
Brine's photo shows a granite cross on an octagonal stepped base.

Imperial War Museum, 2014, War Memorials Archive, 25420 (Website). SDV356253.

Granite cross set on square stone plinth. Plinth bears names and inscription, and surmounts an octagonal two-stepped stone base.
Inscription: 1914-1918/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WARS/ (NAMES)/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES)

Historic England, 2019, National Heritage List for England, 1463401 (National Heritage List for England). SDV362730.

Summary
A First World War memorial, erected in 1922; altered after the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Talaton War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St James, 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 example of a plain Latin cross type of memorial.
Group value: * with the Church of St James (Grade I), close to the Sanne headstone (Grade II) and the two Webb headstones (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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Talaton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 13 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was unveiled on Thursday 11 May 1922 by Sir John Kennaway.
The names of three parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial, and the word ‘war’ in the earlier inscription changed to ‘wars’.
Details
A First World War memorial, erected in 1922; altered after the Second World War.
MATERIALS Granite.
DESCRIPTION The memorial stands in a prominent location in the churchyard to the south of the Church of St James (Grade I), close to the Sanne headstone (Grade II) and the two Webb headstones (Grade II).
The memorial comprises a carved-granite plain Latin cross with a gently tapering octagonal shaft on a square plinth and two-stepped octagonal base. The main inscription in leaded lettering on the south face of the plinth reads: 1914-1918 / TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY / OF THE BRAVE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WARS followed by the names of the 13 fallen. The north face of the plinth is inscribed 1939-1945 and the names of the three men who fell in the Second World War.
Date first listed: 9th April 2019

Historic England, 2019, Talaton War Memorial, Church of St James, Church Road, Talaton, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV362936.

Notification that Historic England are assessing the war memorial for addition to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. They have completed an initial assessment to consider whether the 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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Talaton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 13 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The memorial was unveiled on Thursday 11 May 1922 by Sir John Kennaway. The names of three parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial, and the word ‘war’ in the earlier inscription changed to ‘wars’.
Details
A First World War memorial, erected in 1922; altered after the Second World War.
MATERIALS
Granite.
DESCRIPTION
The memorial stands in a prominent location in the churchyard to the south of the Church of St James (Grade I), close to the Sanne headstone (Grade II) and the two Webb headstones (Grade II).
The memorial comprises a carved-granite plain Latin cross with a gently tapering octagonal shaft on a square plinth and two-stepped octagonal base. The main inscription in leaded lettering on the south face of the plinth reads: 1914-1918 / TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY / OF THE BRAVE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WARS followed by the names of the 13 fallen. The north face of the plinth is inscribed 1939-1945 and the names of the three men who fell in the Second World War.

Historic England, 2019, Talaton War Memorial, Church of St James, Church Road, Talaton,Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV362971.

Notification that the war memorial has been added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. The memorial was recommended for listing 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 example of a plain Latin cross type of memorial.
Group value:
* with the Church of St James (Grade I), close to the Sanne headstone (Grade II) and the two Webb
headstones (Grade II).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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