Building record 5167/1/3 - Weston Favell War Memorial

The memorial is situated in the north-east corner of the churchyard of the Church of St Peter (listed Grade II*), within Weston Favell Conservation Area. There are no known threats to the memorial.

{1} Stories of soldiers who died in WWI and are remembered on the memorial. The memorial to Weston Favell’s First World War dead was unveiled by Brigadier General the Hon. C G Fortesque on Sunday 24th October 1921.

{2} List Entry Description

Summary of Building
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation
Weston Favell Memorial Cross with enclosure, gate piers, steps, and gates, at the NE corner of St Peter’s
churchyard, 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;
* Architectural interest: a tall, well-carved Celtic cross;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Peter.

History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on
communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not
repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Weston Favell as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 16 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The memorial was executed by the Northampton masons JG Pullen and Sons. It was unveiled on 23 October 1921 by Brigadier-General Fortescue. Following the Second World War the names of 15 men who died in that conflict were added.

Details
The memorial takes the form of a Celtic, wheel-headed cross, standing in the NE corner of the churchyard of the Church of St Peter (listed Grade II*) and accessed via steps from the intersection of High Street and Churchway. The cross, circa 6m high, is of limestone, and has well-carved, raised interlace ornament. It stands on a sloping plinth, itself on a square, stepped, base. Set on this are two stone flower troughs. To the rear is a small flower urn*.
The plinth carries the inscriptions:
(front face) TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE FROM THIS PARISH WHO/ LOST
THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919/ (16 NAMES)/ THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE
DEATH
(side face) TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE FROM/ THIS PARISH WHO GAVE
THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945/ (15 NAMES)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN
THAN THIS THAT/ A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.
The memorial stands in a small square enclosure defined by a low stone wall, approached by steps from the street. The entrance is marked by stone gate piers with ironstone caps; wrought iron gates are contemporary with the memorial.
* Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act'), it is
declared that this aforementioned feature is not of special architectural or historic interest.

Selected Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museum, War Memorials Register, accessed 20/07/2016 from
http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/37283
Other
“Town News”, Northampton Mercury, 28 October 1921, p13

<1> Brosnan A., 2013, Tribute To Those Who Served In Wartime, (checked) (Newspaper cuttings). SNN108509.

<2> Historic England, 2016, Weston Favell War memorial (Designation Advice Report). SNN110483.

Record last edited

Oct 18 2016 11:23AM