Halford War Memorial Lych Gate

Halford War Memorial Lych Gate is a war memorial lych gate dating from circa 1920, situated south-east of the church of St Thomas. The lych gate features stone walling on each side of the pathway, with a timber superstructure and gabled roof. Gates are located at the eastern end.

The lower stone walling rises centrally on each side, each containing an inscribed stone panel. The timber superstructure is pegged and incorporates square corner uprights connected by arched braces, which are attached to cranked tie beams that support further uprights and arched braces. The bargeboards are cusped and chamfered. Both eastern and western gable ends are similar in design; however, the east end features a pair of gates with arched braces to their panels. The eastern gable end tie beam is carved in relief with the words ‘THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE’, while the western tie beam is carved with the wording ‘BY LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER’. The southern side panel contains a lengthy inscription commemorating William George Biggs and other choir and congregation members who died in service, alongside biblical quotations: “God having provided some better thing for us / that they without us should not be made perfect.” / “There remaineth therefore a Rest for the people of God.” The northern side panel displays the wording ‘ROLL OF HONOUR’, followed by a list of the fallen, including their regiments, dates and causes of death, and ages, concluding with the inscription ‘Greater love hath no man than this / that a man lay down his life for his friends.’