Midsomer Norton War Memorial

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

MATERIALS: Blue Keynton stone base with St Aldhelm stone cenotaph and bronze details.

DESCRIPTION: located on the High Street, Midsomer Norton on a bridge over the River Somer.

The memorial is a scaled-down replica of the Cenotaph, London (1920) with consent being given by its designer Edwin Lutyens (1896-1944) to use the copyright of the design, albeit in different materials. It consists of a three stepped Blue Keynton stone base with St Aldhelm stone cenotaph. The memorial has a bronze wreath and plaques on its faces. The wreath is located on one of the side faces and below this is inscribed THE/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD with a small bronze plaque below. This plaque records that the memorial was ERECTED BY THE EX-OFFICERS, N.C.O’S/ AND MEN OF MIDSOMER NORTON/ IN MEMORY/ OF THEIR COMRADES WHO FELL IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918.

On the front face of the cenotaph is a further larger plaque which reads IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE TWO GREAT WARS/ 1914 – 1918 – 1939 – 1945/ THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD/ 1914 – 1918/ (NAMES). A second large plaque is located on the rear and is inscribed IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE TWO GREAT WARS/ 1914 – 1918 – 1939 – 1945/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM/ 1914 – 1918/ (NAMES)/ 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).