Highworth War Memorial

The war memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Michael (Grade I). It is close to the west boundary of the churchyard bordered by Lechlade Road, from whence the church tower, including the faces of the war memorial clock, form the backdrop to the memorial.

The stone memorial, c5m tall, comprises a three-stepped base surmounted by an octagonal two-stage plinth and slim, octagonal, shaft bearing a lantern. A soldier and sailor are carved in the lantern. First World War names are carved on the upper stage of the plinth and Second World War names are carved on the lower stage. The memorial bears resemblance in structure and design to the nearby war memorial at Wroughton which is listed at Grade II.

All inscriptions are incised and painted in black enamel. The principal inscription on the front face of the plinth’s upper stage reads IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS/ TOWN WHO LAID DOWN/ THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/. For the Second World War the dates 1939 – 1945 have been added below, to the lower stage. An inscription on the rear of the upper stage reads “THEY DIED/ THAT WE/ MIGHT LIVE” and the remaining two faces are ornamented with shields.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 16 December 2016.