Gosberton War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is set on a traffic island at the junction of Mill Lane and High Street, Gosberton, South Holland. It is in close proximity to the Grade II-listed building 10-14 Mill Lane. Constructed in Clipsham Stone, the memorial comprises a lantern cross at the highest point of an octagonal tapering column. The faces of the lantern cross are ornately decorated with fleur de lis emblems and other floral designs, as well as depictions of emblematic figures of the crucifixion, St George and St Louis of France, carved in relief.

The octagonal column stands upon an octagonal pedestal which has a chamfered upper edge. The pedestal stands on a two-stepped square base of Clipsham stone. On the front face of the pedestal is a shield with the letters ‘ihs’ carved in raised lettering. Below this is a metal plaque which bears the inscription and names of the fallen from the Second World War in white painted lettering.

The dedicatory inscription and names of those who fell in the First World War are inscribed on a bronze plaque fixed to a stone which projects outwards from the bottom step of the memorial and slopes downwards from the top of the step to the ground. The inscription of raised lettering reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF GOSBERTON WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918. THIS CROSS/ WAS RAISED BY THEIR FELLOW PARISHIONERS.

Engraved underneath are the names of 38 servicemen arranged in alphabetical order in three columns. Under the names is the following: REMEMBER THEM O GOD FOR GOOD AND BRING THEM/ UNTO GLORY THROUGH THE SUFFERINGS AND DEATH OF THE/ CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION.

The plaque on the front of the pedestal commemorating the Second World War reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF GOSBERTON WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945.

Underneath are engraved the names of 15 servicemen arranged in alphabetical order in two columns and below that the inscription reads: REMEMBER THEM O GOD FOR GOOD AND BRING/ THEM UNTO GLORY THROUGH THE SUFFERINGS/ AND DEATH OF THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION.