Berkswich War Memorial including enclosure

First World War memorial, dedicated in 1920, with Second World War additions. It was designed by a Mr Evans of the Wayside Cross Society and executed by Robert Bridgeman and Sons of Lichfield. In the early 1990s it was re-sited and rededicated.

MATERIALS: of Alton stone.

PLAN: it is octagonal on plan.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial takes the form of a medieval wayside cross standing upon an octagonal base of three steps. The base supports an octagonal plinth with gableted faces with incised crosses to the north-west, north-east, south-west and south-east sides. Each face of the plinth has a recessed panel with all but the north-east and south-west faces containing bronze plaques bearing inscriptions in relief. The plaque on the north-west face contains the First World War dedication and reads: 'IN PIOUS AND / IMMORTAL MEMORY / OF THOSE FROM THE / PARISH OF BERKSWICH / WHOSE NAMES ARE / COMMEMORATED HERE / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / FOR KING AND COUNTRY / AND FOR THE CAUSE OF / LIBERTY AND RIGHT / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1919'. Below the inscription, and to the plaques on the north and west faces, are the names of those who died during this conflict with their rank. The risers to the top step are inscribed in an anti-clockwise direction from the north-east side to the south-west side with the phrase: 'THEIR / NAME / LIVETH / FOR / EVERMORE' whilst the north-west riser to the second step is inscribed: 'TELL ENGLAND-YE WHO PASS THIS MONUMENT / THAT WE WHO DIED SERVING HER, REST CONTENT'. The south-west face of the plinth contains the dedication plaque to those who died in the Second World War and reads: 'ALSO IN / IMMORTAL / MEMORY / OF THOSE / WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES / IN THE / SECOND / GREAT WAR / 1939-1945'. The plaques on the south and east faces bear the names of those who fell during this conflict. Above the plinth, the shaft has a moulded base and tapers in octagonal section to an octagonal band with ogee-arched niches. Above is a moulded knop on which stands a Latin cross with fleur-de-lis shaped terminals at the end of each arm. On its north-west face is a sword carved in relief.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial stands within in a circular-shaped enclosure with walls of rock-faced sandstone topped with sandstone coping. The walling stands to a height of two courses on the south, south-east and east sides and of three courses elsewhere due to the fall in ground slope. On the north-east side there is an entrance with two stone steps. The enclosure, which is laid with stone paving, contributes to the special interest of the war memorial and is included in the listing.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 19 January 2017.