Barnetby Boys Memorial

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located in the south-east corner of the grounds of St Barnabas’ Church, and stands within a small enclosure facing the road. The memorial is made of grey granite and takes the form of a Celtic cross. It stands on a square, single-stepped base with chamfered corners, which is painted white. Above this rises a square, three-stage and tapering plinth which bears the inscriptions in black lettering. The simple and undecorated Celtic cross rises above this.

The plinth is inscribed on three sides. The original inscription is on the south-eastern face of the middle stage of the plinth, facing the road and reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE BARNETBY BOYS/ WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES/ THAT WE MAY LIVE IN FREEDOM AND IN PEACE/ ALSO AS A THANKSGIVING FOR THE SAFE RETURN/ OF THE OTHERS WHO SERVED/ IN THE GREAT EUROPEAN WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS”.

On the lower stage of the plinth below are inscribed the names of those who died in the Second World War with the dates 1939 – 1945 inscribed. The names of those who died in the First World War, with rank and regiment, are inscribed on the south-west and north-east faces of the central stage of the plinth below the inscription KILLED IN ACTION. The distinction is made between those who were killed and those who died of wounds.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial is enclosed by iron railings on a low white-painted kerb, with a gate to the front. In front of the memorial there are two white painted planters, and a white stone vase dedicated by the Barnetby British Legion set at the foot of the memorial’s base. These features are not of special interest.