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Summary

First and Second World War monument, granite cross on four sided granite double plinth base with inscribed black painted letters. The cross is enclosed with granite columns and wrought iron railings.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1423642: Ipplepen War Memorial

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86NW/22

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))
• WAR MEMORIAL (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

English Heritage, 19/11/2014, Ipplepen War Memorial, The Square, Bridge Street, Ipplepen, Devon (Correspondence). SDV357431.

English Heritage has received an application to add the war memorial to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. Assessment is underway.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 321 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

In the village, in the centre of an open space. Type B

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1954, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Fourth Paper), 180 (Article in Serial). SDV15725.

In the grounds of 'The Priory' there stands a granite socket stone, hollowed out to form a roughly circular trough. This was almost certainly the original base of the village cross, now restored as a war memorial.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 245, (Vol 2), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Ipplepen SX836667
Ipplepen Cross stands at the centre of an open space in the village. An ancient cross restored as a war memorial, a pedestal of two new octagonal steps supports a new socket stone, square at the base, and octagonal above, with corner shoulders. The shaft is square at the base, with damaged pointed spurs above which it becomes octagonal in section and tapers upwards. The lower portion of the shaft (in two pieces) s ancient; the head and arms, which expand outwards, are new.
Cross height 2.59 metres, span 0.66 metres. Socket stone 0.96 by 0.96 metres by 0.30 metres high. Pedestal top 1.55 metres by 0.20 metres high, bottom 2.21 metres by 0.22 metres high.

Walls, S., 2010, The Materiality of Remembrance: Twentieth Century War Memorials in Devon, 326, 346-347; Figure 7.15; IPP01 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV355902.

The South African War memorial cross in St. Andrew's Churchyard, Ipplepen was very influential upon the form of the First World War memorial in the parish. The non-churchyard placement of the memorial may have been influenced by the location of the church, away from the centre of the settlement, or by a strong non-conformist presence resulting in use of a more neutral space.

Pearce, M., 2011, Ipplepen War Memorial (Ground Photograph). SDV355864.

Pearce, M., 2011, War Memorial - Ipplepen (Un-published). SDV355863.

First and Second World War monument, granite cross on four sided granite double plinth base with inscribed black painted letters. The cross is enclosed with granite columns and wrought iron railings. Good condition.

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

TracesofWar.com, 2014, Traces of War, Photo (Website). SDV356183.

This memorial commemorates the residents of Ipplepen who were killed or missing in World War I (23 names) and World War II (11 names).

Historic England, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV358087.

The list description for Ipplepen War Memorial has been amended, and ‘Hurbert Read of Exeter’ has been replaced with ‘H.Read’

English Heritage, 21/11/2014, Ipplepen War Memorial, The Square, Bridge Street, Ipplepen (Correspondence). SDV357451.

English Heritage have completed their assessment of the war memorial to consider whether it has special architectural or historic interest.

The war memorial is a restored medieval market cross, apparently on the site of a market that was granted charter in 1317. It is marked on the Ordnance Survey Map of 1888 as Stone Cross (Remains of). A granite socket stone, which has been hollowed out for use as a trough, almost certainly the original base of the village cross is in the garden of The Priory (qv), approximately 250m to the north-west. The cross was restored by public subscription to the designs of Hurbert Read of Exeter, by the builder Mr Horn. It was unveiled and dedicated on 4 July 1920. A boundary of stone posts and steel railings, and further dedications to the fallen, were added to the memorial after the Second World War. In 1992 one of the names was re-cut to correct a spelling mistake. In 2014, the Devon Remembers project gave a grant for the memorial to be restored.

Constructed of granite.
DESCRIPTION: a two-stepped octagonal base surmounted by a square, chamfered plinth, tapering shaft and latin cross. The south face of the plinth has the text, THIS ANCIENT CROSS/ WAS RESTORED TO THE PROUD MEMORY OF/ THE IPPLEPEN MEN WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1919. The step below is inscribed with names of the fallen (23). The north face of the plinth has the text, ALSO/ OF THE ONES WHO FELL/ IN THE SECOND GREAT WAR/ 1939 – 1945, with the names (11) on the step below. The memorial is enclosed by steel railings and stone posts.

English Heritage, 27/01/2015, War Memorial, Ipplepen (Correspondence). SDV357765.

After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the
architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are fulfilled. The war memorial at Ipplepen is therefore recommended for listing at Grade II. In recommending the extent of designation, we have considered whether powers of exclusion under s.1 (5A) of the 1990 Act are appropriate, and consider that they are. The boundary treatment around the war memorial is a later addition, not considered to be of special interest, and is therefore excluded from the listing.

Ipplepen war memorial, incorporating a medieval market cross, is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and
the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
Architectural interest: a simple yet refined cross design, well-crafted in stone to incorporate a
medieval market cross shaft;
Intactness: the structure is unaltered, although it was restored and re-dedicated in 2014;
Group value: it makes a positive and important contribution to the street scene and groups well with
the neighbouring listed buildings.

The war memorial in Ipplepen was erected in memory of the men of the village who lost their lives during the First World War, and later to commemorate the dead of the Second World War. A modest, but well-crafted cross it is an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community. It has a distinctive architectural quality while adopting a suitably solemn appearance for its commemorative purpose. It has additional architectural and historic interest by the inclusion in its fabric of the shaft of a medieval market cross that formerly stood on the site. Largely unaltered, although restored in 2014 as part of the centenary commemorations, it holds a prominent position in the historic street scene of Ipplepen, with a number of listed buildings close by. The war memorial at Ipplepen meets the criteria and should be recommended for inclusion on the List. The boundary treatment around it is of later date and not of special interest.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Unknown, SX86NW20 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV355862.

Site visit on 15th August 1952. An ancient cross restored as a war memorial. A pedestal of two new octagonal steps supports a new socket-stone, square at the base, octagonal above, with corner shoulders. The shaft is square at the base with damaged pointed spurs above which becomes octagonal in section and tapers upwards. The lower portion of the shaft (in two pieces) is ancient; the head and arms, which expand outwards, are new.
Site visit on 17th November 1952. The cross stands 2.8 metres above its present pedestal, the medieval portion of the shaft being 2.0 metres high. Cross in good condition and enclosed by iron railings. Photograph.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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