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Summary

Manaton war memorial, located in the churchyard, comprises a cross on top of a tall granite pillar on a stepped granite plinth which bears the names of those who lost their lives in the two World Wars. There is also a grave marker in the porch of the church from the grave of John Gibbons (died 1917), whose connection to the parish is unknown. Listed 2017.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1449894: Manaton War Memorial

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAR MEMORIAL (Constructed, XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Watts, S., 02/09/2013, Manaton War Memorial (Personal Comment). SDV352060.

Manaton war memorial, located in the churchyard, comprises a cross on top of a tall granite pillar on a stepped granite plinth which bears the names of those who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

War Memorial marked.

Muriel and Richard Brine, 2015, Devon Heritage, War memorials pages (Website). SDV352499.

Manaton War Memorial 1914 – 1918. Includes details of all those named on the monument, includes brass plate commemorating Edward and Charles Mortimore and an image and details of the wooden cross kept in the church porch:
In the church porch is a most interesting link with the First World War; a wooden cross brought back to England that marked the grave of a John Gibbons, of the Dorset Regiment, who died in 1917 aged 19 and was buried in the military cemetery Etaples.
Generally, men were buried more or less where they fell and the custom was to mark the spot with a rough wooden cross. Most of these eventually rotted away and were replaced with the stone markers of the War Graves Commission but a few were brought back to England mostly by former colleagues of the dead men who handed them over to their grieving families. Screwed to this particular cross was a small metal label giving details of the dead man.
We have not been able to trace a connection with Manaton for this family so perhaps that is why he is not listed on the village War Memorial.

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

The granite memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Winifred (Grade I-listed), to the south-east of the church and in close proximity to the Grade II-listed lychgate and numerous Grade II-listed churchyard monuments. It takes the form of a plain cross rising from a tall shaft, square on plan. The cross shaft stands on a stepped pedestal, which is raised on a square base.
The principal dedicatory inscription runs around the upper part of the pedestal. Beginning on the east face, it reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF MANATON WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919. The commemorated First World War names, including the man who died in 1925, are listed on the east face of the pedestal, whilst the Second World War names are listed, under the dates 1939 – 1945, on the south face. The inscription to the west face reads GREATER LOVE/ HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS THAT/ A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS/ FRIENDS.
SX7495281273

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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