Shepley War Memorial

War memorial. Erected in 1921, after the First World War, to the design of the sculptor J Swift of Doncaster. Bronze cast by Messrs Benton Brothers at the Rodley Lane Foundry, Sheffield. Further inscriptions added after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Cornish granite pedestal, plinth and base, a bronze statue and bronze plaques.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is situated in an elevated position near the recreation grounds south-east of Shepley. It comprises a bronze statue surmounting a tapered Cornish granite pedestal, plinth and stepped base. The statue is an infantry soldier in full service dress; boots, puttee, uniform, webbing, ammunition pouches, flask, backpack and helmet, holding a rifle with a fixed bayonet in the rest position. He stands with his head bowed solemnly facing the village of Shepley. The pedestal has a moulded base, string course and cornice. On the front (north-west) face of the pedestal is a bronze plaque with the following inscription in raised lettering ERECTED TO THE GRATEFUL MEMORY OF OUR/ BROTHERS WHO SERVED FOUGHT AND FELL IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ IN MEMORIAM/ [NAMES]/ RIP. Beneath it is another small bronze plaque with a single name. On the north-east face of the pedestal is the plaque inscribed NAMES OF MEN WHO SERVED/ [NAMES]. The other faces carry plaques inscribed with names; there are 261 names of those that served during the First World War on the memorial. On the base of the front face of the pedestal is an additional bronze plaque added after the Second World War and inscribed 1939-1945/ [NAMES]/ NOT JUST TODAY BUT EVERYDAY IN SILENCE WE REMEMBER. It includes eleven names of those who lost their lives. Above the string course at the top of the pedestal is a plaque added in 2014 commemorating those that have served in subsequent conflicts. It is inscribed HONOURING THOSE WHO STAND/ AND SUFFER IN CONFLICT.