War Memorial, Churchyard Of St Mary'S Church

The war memorial in the churchyard of St Mary's Church is a Portland stone Latin cross on a stepped pedestal base, unveiled in 1921. It was designed by H Munro Cautley. The east face of the shaft features a carved relief of the sword of sacrifice, and both the shaft and base have chamfered corners. A plaque at the base of the pedestal displays an inscription that runs around three sides, which reads: 'TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ WHITTON-CUM/ THURLESTONE/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918/ (names: surname, rank and regiment) AND ALSO FOR THE MEN FROM THIS/ PARISH WHO FELL IN THE / WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945/'.

This memorial was designed by H Munro Cautley, who resided in the nearby parish, and it was unveiled on 6 November 1921 by Sir John Ganzoni. It serves as a central feature for commemorating those who lost their lives in both World Wars and is an important part of community life. In 2004, the memorial was cleaned, and some of the lettering was re-carved and painted, supported by a grant from the War Memorials Trust.

War memorials hold significant historical and cultural importance at both local and national levels. This memorial is a notable example of a simple design by a well-known architect, featuring a Latin cross with the sword of sacrifice in relief. It was unveiled in 1921, with an additional inscription added after the Second World War. The cross also has group value with the adjacent grade II listed church.