Shillingstone War Memorial

Shillingstone War Memorial is located on the corner of Poplar Hill and Knapps. It consists of a Portland stone Celtic cross, with an ornately embellished tapering shaft. The carved ornamentation includes interlace patterns, decorated bosses, and vine. A lengthy inscription carved in low relief in a panel to the front face of the foot of the shaft reads THIS CROSS/ WAS ERECTED/ BY PUBLIC/ SUBSCRIPTION IN/ MEMORIAM OF THE/ HONOURABLE PLACE/ TAKEN BY THIS/ PARISH IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-/ 1919 AND SPECIALLY/ OF THESE FROM ITS/ “ROLL OF HONOUR”/ WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY. The corners of the panel include monograms carved in low relief. The shaft rises from a tapered plinth that stands on a two stepped base.

A carved stone wreath to the front of the plinth encircles an incised dedicatory inscription to the men of the Parish who were lost during First World War. The inscription reads MESSAGE/ FROM H.M. KING GEORGE V/ “HIS MAJESTY WAS/ GRATIFIED TO LEARN HOW/ SPLENDIDLY THE PEOPLE/ OF SHILLINGSTONE HAVE/ RESPONDED TO THE CALL OF/ THE COLOURS: I IMAGINE/ THIS MUST BE A RECORD”. / SEPT 2 1914. Below the wreath is inscribed ROLL OF HONOUR 1914 - 1918/ (NAMES).

The names of the 25 men from Shillingstone who died during the First World War are inscribed around the sides of the plinth, ordered by year of death, and including two most recently added names incised under a carving of an anchor with, below, PRO DEO ET PRO PATRIA. At the base of the cross a stone tablet is inscribed 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

The memorial stands on a raised site at the roadside. There is a retaining brick wall with capped brick piers to the front, with a rake of steps from the pavement. The front wall carries posts bearing a chain (replacing the original railings) whilst to the rear the enclosure is completed with railings.