War Memorial

PILLERTON HERSEY

1746/0/10001 War Memorial 17-MAY-07

GV II War memorial, 1919. Architect unknown. MATERIALS: Constructed from local Hornton limestone.

EXTERIOR: The memorial, c.2.8m high, consists of a small, plain cross with chamfered edges to the arms and shaft, atop a tapering octagonal column with a decorative capital. The column runs into a square base with deep chamfers. Below this is a square plinth which narrows towards the top, and is inscribed : "IN HONOUR OF THOSE WHO / FOUGHT FOR KING & COUNTRY / THANKS BE TO GOD WHO GIVETH US THE / VICTORY THROUGH / OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST / IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LAID / DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING / AND COUNTRY / 1914 - 1918." This is followed by the names of the five men who fell in the First World War. The whole memorial stands on a platform of two steps.

HISTORY: The memorial was erected in 1919 by subscriptions from the villagers of Pillerton Hersey and nearby Pillerton Priors, and celebrates the fallen from both villages. It was dedicated on 30 January 1920 in a ceremony attended by all the inhabitants of both villages, conducted by the Rev. E Pitter. The memorial was unveiled by Miss Esther Mills, sister of Henry Valentine Mills, son of the lord of the manor of Pillerton Hersey, who was killed in action and is commemorated on the memorial, along with the four other men from the villages who died in the Great War.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: War memorials are highly significant commemorative structures which have strong historic and cultural significance to their communities. This simple limestone cross and column, standing almost three metres high, is an arresting monument situated prominently on the village green at Pillerton Hersey, and commemorates the five men of this village and neighbouring Pillerton Priors who fell in the First World War.

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, 17 January 2017.