Bruton War Memorial

The Bruton War Memorial is a First World War memorial, created around 1920 by A J Pictor, with additional inscriptions added later. It was restored in 2012 and is made from carved Doulting stone.

The memorial is located in a prominent and elevated position within the churchyard, to the north-west of St Mary’s Church. It has a hexagonal shape and features two stone steps, along with a base and a plinth, both topped with moulded caps. The column tapers upwards to a foliate capital, and a Latin cross is set into a floriated lancet-style socket, which includes a rosette for each lancet. The cross itself has hexagonal sections.

The plinth displays inscriptions honoring those who fell in both the First and Second World Wars. The First World War inscriptions are carved into recessed panels, with the north face inscribed: ‘1914 – 1918/ HALLOWED IN CHRIST/ BE THE MEMORY OF/ THESE OUR BELOVED/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ FOR THE FREEDOM/ OF THE WORLD.’ The other panels list the names of those who lost their lives during this conflict. Additionally, on the north side of the plinth, beneath the First World War dedication, are two further inscriptions that read: ‘ALSO OF/ THE WORLD WAR OF/ 1939 – 1945’ and ‘ALSO SINCE 1945.’ The names of those who died during the Second World War, as well as a military policeman who lost his life in 2009, are inscribed on the other faces of the plinth.