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Summary

Stone cross set on an octagonal plinth, to the south-west of St Andrew's parish church. The names of those who died in both world wars are carved into the plinth.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1425387: Colyton War Memorial

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAR MEMORIAL (World War I to World War II - 1918 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

English Heritage, 12/02/2015, Colyton War Memorial, Churchyard of St Andrew's Church, Colyton, Devon, EX24 6LJ (Correspondence). SDV357873.

English Heritage is currently considering whether Colyton War Memorial has special architectural or historic interest. A full inspection was carried out on 17th January 2015, and a report is attached.

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

Map object based on this source.

Walls, S., 2010, The Materiality of Remembrance: Twentieth Century War Memorials in Devon, COL01 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV355902.

Colyton war memorial cross.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

'War Meml' shown. Map object based on this source.

Imperial War Museum, 2014, War Memorials Archive, 25249 (Website). SDV356253.

Stone cross set on octagonal plinth. Inscription and names carved into plinth. Plinth surmounts four-stepped stone base. Sword in relief on shaft of cross.
Inscription: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ (NAMES)/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES)

English Heritage, 31/03/2015, Colyton War Memorial, Churchyard of St Andrew's Church, Colyton (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV358049.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has decided to add Colyton War Memorial to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.

Colyton’s war memorial, remembering those from the parish who fell in the First World War, was erected c1920. It is 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. The Latin stone cross carved with a longsword in raised relief, stands in a prominent position near the centre of the village within the Colyton Conservation Area. It holds group value with the Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church and Grade II listed buildings on Vicarage Street. The memorial design is derived from the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission. It is an elegant design that displays a high level of craftsmanship. Overall, the memorial is considered to be of architectural and historic interest and therefore meets the criteria for listing. We have considered whether powers of exclusion under s.1 (5A) of the 1990 Act are appropriate, and consider that they are not.

MATERIALS: carved from limestone.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands in the churchyard of the Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church, and
overlooks the Grade II listed C16 to C18 houses on Vicarage Street. It comprises a tall elongated Latin stone cross with a tapering octagonal shaft and crossarm. A longsword is carved in raised relief on the cross; the crossguard of the sword matching where the cross’ shaft and crossarm meet. The shaft stands on an octagonal plinth, itself resting on a four-stage stepped octagonal base. On the front of the plinth is inscribed ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919’. There are 45 names inscribed on
the sides of the plinth. The top stage of the base carries the words ‘THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE’
and the second stage is inscribed ‘1939-1945’ followed by six names. An octagonal concrete path bounded by chamfered kerb stones surrounds the memorial. It is set upon a raised earthen platform approached by three steps and separated off from the surrounding churchyard by an ashlar dwarf wall with a triangular stone coping.

Colyton war memorial, which stands near the centre of the village, is 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;
Design: an elegant Latin stone cross carved with a longsword in raised relief. It is derived from the
architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission;
Group value: with the Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church and Grade II houses on Vicarage Street.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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