Listed Building: Woodford War Memorial on the Green (1426166)

Summary First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War. Reasons for Designation Woodford War Memorial, which stands on the village Green, 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 substantial stone obelisk, standing prominently on the village’s main open space. History Woodford, unusually, has two freestanding war memorials. Following the end of the First World War a committee, under the Comrades Club, was formed to oversee the erection of a memorial in January 1919. It is believed that the church did not approve the design which was forthcoming – an obelisk – and accordingly arrangements were made to construct a second memorial in the churchyard near the north wall of the tower. The war memorial obelisk on the Green was unveiled on Woodford Feast Sunday (10 July) 1921 at a ceremony led by four clergymen; the memorial Calvary in the churchyard was unveiled on 15 October 1921. Between the 1950s and c2000 the obelisk on the green was surrounded by a memorial garden. This has been reverted to grass. Details The war memorial stands on the large Green at the village centre. It comprises a c5m tall sandstone obelisk with a reversed sword carved in relief on its front face. Beneath, at the base of the obelisk, HONOUR is carved in relief. The obelisk stands on a square, splayed, plinth, this set upon a four-stepped octagonal base. The memorial is c7.5 m tall overall. The front face of the plinth is inscribed TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF/ THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR./ 1914 – 1919. The names of the fallen are inscribed on the other three sides. A stone let into the front face of the second step bears an inscription for the Second World War: TO THE MEMORY OF THESE MEN, WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945 (8 NAMES).

Record last edited

Dec 3 2019 12:27PM