Mepal War Memorial

First World War memorial with names added after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: located on the corner of High Street and School Lane.

The memorial consists of a square base that supports a three-stepped plinth, on top of which is a tapering rectangular sectioned pillar surmounted by a floriated cross. The base rests upon a large square, raised platform that is probably original, albeit now clad in paving. The surrounding paved area and path was laid at a later date and is not included in the listing. One of the rear step faces has a panel that describes the restoration of the memorial in 2005.

The base of the cross and the plinth bear the inscriptions in leaded lettering and read as follows:

south face: (base of pillar) 1914 – 1918 (top step) TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND TO / THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO / FELL IN THE GREAT WAR (middle step) (4 NAMES) (bottom step) (9 NAMES)

west face: (bottom step) GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS / THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE / FOR HIS FRIENDS

east face: (top step) 1939 - 1945 / (2 NAMES) (middle step) (4 NAMES)

north face: (incised panel on bottom step) THIS MEMORIAL WAS RESTORED IN 2005 BY / LOCAL PEOPLE TO MARK THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY / OF THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO