Shepshed War Memorial

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is a square pillar with a moulded plinth and square piers projecting obliquely at each corner, standing on a three-stepped base. It has a plain frieze and projecting cornice with egg and dart enrichment. It is surmounted by a smaller square pillar with a plain cornice, supporting a circular finial with a crowning bronze flame. There are fourteen rectangular marble tablets around the main pillar which were originally intended for names but are unused. The four sides of the smaller square pillar are engraved with the following: TO THE MEN WHO CAME/ FROM SHEPSHED/ OAKS-IN-CHARNWOOD/ AND CHARLEY/ 1914-1918/ FOR GOD/ KING AND/ COUNTRY. On the outward face each corner pier are carved wreaths incorporating three small panels arranged in a vertical line. The panels are engraved as follows: DARDANELLES/ YPRES/ FALKLANDS; HOOGE/ LOOS/ JUTLAND; VERDUN/ VIMY RIDGE/ CAMBRIA; AISNE/ MONS/ MARNE. The large bronze plaque on the main face of the pillar is inscribed ‘THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES/ 1914-1918’ followed by the names of the fallen; and underneath is inscribed ‘THESE ALSO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ 1939-1945’ followed by their names. A more recent black marble tablet on the plinth commemorates the names of the sponsors.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 19 January 2017.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17 May 2022 to correct a typo in the address