Listed Building: Ringstead (Northamptonshire) War Memorial (1425578)

List Entry Description Summary of Building First World War memorial. 1924, with later additions. Reasons for Designation Ringstead (Northamptonshire) War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20; * Design: a well-executed medieval-style cross; * Group value: with the Grade I-listed Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. History The memorial was unveiled on 4 July 1924 by Colonel J Brown DSO. It was given to the village by Mr H A Billson, a shoe manufacturer from Northampton. Names commemorating the dead of the Second World War, and the name of a Paratrooper who died during the Aden Emergency in 1967, were added. Details The war memorial stands in the churchyard of the Grade I-listed Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, overlooking the village street. The memorial is in the form of a granite cross, with simple raised interlace to the front of the shaft. On the front face of its tapering plinth the dedication, in applied metal lettering, reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD./ IN PIOUS MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF RINGSTED WHO FELL DURING/ THE GREAT WAR/ AND/ IN GRATITUDE FOR THE MERCIES/ OF A LIFETIME THIS CROSS IS/ THE HUMBLE OFFERING OF/ HERBERT ALFRED BILLSON,/ WHO LOVED THE VILLAGE./ JESU MERCY. The names of the fallen and of those who died in the Second World War appear on the other faces of the plinth, along with one individual who died in 1967. The plinth stands on a three-stepped, granite base. The concrete-flagged surrounding path and approach is excluded from the listing.

Record last edited

May 18 2015 3:19PM