Coningsby War Memorial

Coningsby War Memorial stands at the north-east end of a grassed area in the High Street, at the junction with Park Lane. It is raised on a circular pavement to the level of the High Street roadway, approached by four steps on the north-west side. Timber handrails lead up the steps. Floodlights are set into the pavement around the memorial.

Of Aberdeen red granite, the memorial consists of a broken classical column rising from a square plinth. The plinth stands on a two-stage, square base which stands on a low, square, Portland stone step. The lower stage of the base is rough-hewn. The plinth and base bear the inscriptions:

(plinth, north-west face) THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY/ THE PARISHIONERS OF CONINGSBY/ IN LOVING AND GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF ALL WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED/ BELOW, AND WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 (8 NAMES, one noted as MISSING)

(plinth, south-west face) THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY/ THE PARISHIONERS OF CONINGSBY/ IN LOVING AND GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF ALL WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED/ BELOW, AND WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 (8 NAMES)

(base, upper stage, north-west face) ALSO IN HONOURED MEMORY OF (8 NAMES)/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945,/ AND IN GRATITUDE FOR THE LIVES SPARED.

The First World War inscriptions are incised and painted in black enamel. The Second World War inscription is attached in metal letters, painted with black enamel.

A small incised brass plaque was attached at an angle to the base of the memorial, on the Portland stone step. This read THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED IN 1921/ BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION. THE DESIGN/ OF THE BROKEN COLUMN SYMBOLISES/ A BROKEN LIFE AND IS A TRIBUTE TO/ ALL THOSE MEN FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ FOR OUR FREEDOM. This has been replaced by a new red granite plinth bearing the explanation of the symbolism.

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, 23 January 2017.