South Wigston War Memorial

The South Wigston War Memorial, built in 1923, commemorates those who served in the First World War, with later additions for the Second World War. It is situated to the south-east of the Grade II*-listed Church of St Thomas, facing the road and surrounded by a low fence.

This memorial features a three-tiered design, highlighted by a central, tapered obelisk. The obelisk has projecting pedimented faces, each carved with an inverted sword, and is topped with a moulded cap and a string of laurel carving around its base. It stands on a two-tiered plinth made of Portland stone, which is inset with Swithland slate tablets and filled with concrete. Three steps lead up to the memorial.

On the front face of the obelisk, the inscription reads: "THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US / BY NIGHT AND BY DAY / IN SACRED SLEEP THEY REST / SAY NOT THAT THE BRAVE DIE." Below this, the central bay of the plinth bears the inscription: "TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN MEMORY OF THE / MEN OF SOUTH WIGSTON / AND GLEN PARVA, WHO / GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE / WARS OF 1914 – 1918 / AND 1939 – 1945." This inscription is flanked by panels depicting cricketing and military equipment. The names and regiments of the fallen are incised and gilded on 11 slate tablets, which are accompanied by carved stone dates for 1914-18 and 1939-45.