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Summary

The memorial to the fallen of Epworth is a recreation field, with commemorative wrought iron gates on Station Road. A plaque in St Andrew's church lists their names.

Monument Types

• GATE (PM:C20, Mid 20th Century to 21st Century - 1938 AD to 2050 AD)
• WAR MEMORIAL (PM:C20, Mid 20th Century to 21st Century - 1938 AD to 2050 AD)

Protected Status - None

Associated Finds - None

Associated Events - None

Full description

After the First World War, the residents of Epworth decided to provide the town with a playing field as a memorial to the fallen. A field formerly known as The Thurlow was purchased in 1921 and registered with the Charity Commissioners under the Recreation Grounds Act of 1859.

In 1938, the Hill & Smith foundry were commissioned to erect a set of wrought iron gates at the Station Road field entrance, with a commemorative plaque 'EPWORTH WAR MEMORIAL FIELD 1914-1918'. The gates were dedicated on 6th August 1938. A second plaque for 1939-1945 was added in 1946.

The names of the fallen are inscribed on a brass plaque within St Andrew's Church. [1, 2]

A register of the names of Epworth's war dead listed upon the memorial has been published.

"In February 1919 a War Memorial Committee had been formed and, after a series of public meetings held in the Temperance Hall where various suggestions had been proposed,the idea for erecting a monument gained support. However, following a disappointing response to a circular letter sent to all parishioners and the preference of ex-servicemen, the scheme was rejected at a public meeting on Tuesday evening 8 July 1919 in favour of a recreation ground. Thurlow Croft field had been identified as a suitable site and negotiations opened with the owner, Mrs Maw, who consented to sell the field together with a farmhouse and buildings for the generous sum of £500. It was reported at a meeting on Tuesday 26 August 1919 that the twenty appointed trustees had completed the purchase and funds were to be raised through house-to-house collections and other activities. The financial target was achieved by January 1920 and the land registered with the Charity Commission under the 1859 Recreation Grounds Act.

Although the land was laid out and used for playing football, cricket, tennis and bowls and a children's playground the project was only completed in 1938, mainly because of difficulties in obtaining possession of the old farmhouse to enable the creation of a main access off Station Road, The house and buildings were eventually demolished in 1937 and new ornate wrought iron entrance gates and fencing manufactured by Messrs Hill and Smith of Brierley Hill Iron Works, Dudley, Staffordshire were erected by local builder Mr F Fenton along the entire site frontage for the total cost of £260. In 1946 they added inscriptions for the Second World War for the sum of £26.

The official opening ceremony took place on Monday 1 August 1938 when a procession marched from the Market Place to the Memorial Recreation Field where, after singing the hymn 'O, God Our Help In Ages Past', the Revd W AR Collins offered prayers and read the lesson. The Revd Osbert Mordaunt Burrows MA (Rector of St Andrew's Church) gave an address and performed the dedication and following the singing of the National Anthem bugler R G Curry sounded the Last Post. Mr George N Newborn, County Cllr R A Thompson and Capt. Harry F C Crookshank MA, Conservative MP for Gainsborough made further speeches before Mr Arthur Maw, a relative of Mrs Maw, formally opened the gates. A fancy dress parade was held for adults and children along with sports and games well into the evening and £20 collected towards the memorial fund.

A new pavilion to replace a former redundant classroom was built in around 1987, a somewhat charmless structure with no redeemable features, and at the time of writing the gates so lovingly installed for commemorating the war dead are in a dreadful state of repair with substantial damage to one of the main gateposts. Nevertheless, the facilities have been well used and enjoyed over the years by parishioners." [3]

<1> Epworth Town Council website, http://e-voice.org.uk/epworthtc/photos/photo?photo_id=2801130 (WEBSITE). SLS4371.

<2> UK National Inventory of War Memorials, 51633 (WEBSITE). SLS4370.

<3> Credland, M., 2014, The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire, p.81 & pp.201-248 (BOOK). SLS8756.

Sources and further reading

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