War Memorial

SHALFORD

431/0/10045 THE STREET 08-JAN-09 War Memorial

GV II War memorial, unveiled 1921 constructed of Doulting stone, from Shepton Mallet, Somerset. The entire structure is octagonal in form, from the triple stepped plinth, to the base and shaft. A Gothic cross surmounts the shaft. The WWI inscription is nicely carved at the base of the cross - 'Our Glorious Dead/ 1914/ 1919 /Their Name Liveth for Evermore (names).' The commemoration to those who fell in WWII is inscribed in the smaller section where the shaft meets the base, with simpler lettering - '1939/ 1945 (names)'.

HISTORY: This WWI war memorial was erected by the parish War Memorial Committee under the auspices of the Vicar, a Captain Santers, and a Mr Everett, who originally hoped to raise £1000 to build a memorial hall. By June 1919, not even half that amount had been achieved, and therefore the decision was made to erect a cross instead. This was unveiled 17 July 1921, and dedicated by the Bishop of Guildford. The Surrey Advertiser (23 July 1921) reported that the cross was made of Doulting stone (from Somerset), of Gothic design, 14 feet high and octagonal construction. The memorial was cleaned at various times during the 1920s which might have inadvertently contributed to the deterioration of the lettering. The designer/sculptor is not known.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: Shalford war memorial is designated for the following principal reasons: * The inscriptions bear testament to the people of Shalford who lost their lives in both world wars; * The simple, Gothic cross fits well with the surrounding buildings and adds to the group value.

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, 5 December 2016.