Thurston War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Forest of Dean stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent position on the western boundary of the churchyard of the Church of St Peter (Grade II) and facing Church Road. The memorial comprises a Celtic wheel-head cross with tapering shaft on a square two-stepped plinth with a single-stepped base. The arms of the cross are decorated with relief-carved interlace. The memorial is carved from blue Forest of Dean stone and it stands approximately 2.7m high.

The main inscription in incised and black-painted lettering on the lower step of the plinth reads: (west face) “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”/ 1914/ (1 NAME)/ 1915/ (2 NAMES) (north face) 1916/ (3 NAMES)/ 1917/ (1 NAME)/ (south face) 1918/ (5 NAMES) (east face) 1919/ (1 NAME)/ ERECTED IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THURSTON/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

An additional inscription on the west face of the cross shaft reads: IN/ MEMORY/ OF/ THOSE WHO/ GAVE THEIR/ LIVES DURING/ 1939 – 1945. Nine further names are incised on the upper step of the plinth.