Building record 1653/3/5 - Woodford War Memorial at St Mary's Church

The memorial is situated in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church (Grade I-listed). There are no known threats to the memorial.

{1}List Entry Description
Summary of Building
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Woodford’s churchyard war memorial 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-carved limestone Calvary;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed St Mary’s church.
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; the
memorial Calvary in the churchyard was unveiled on 15 October 1921 by Colonel Stopford-Sackville and
dedicated by the Bishop of Peterborough.
Details
The war memorial stands in the churchyard in the angle of the tower and north aisle of St Mary’s church
(listed Grade I). It comprises a c6m high limestone Calvary which is set at the head of a tapering octagonal
shaft. The shaft rises from a crenellated base. This is set on an octagonal plinth, which itself stands on a
shallow octagonal base.
Inscribed on the plinth is 1939-1945, with the names of those commemorated below and on the flanking
plinth faces. The names of those who fell in the First World War are inscribed on a slate plaque set in to the
north face of the church tower, behind the memorial. This plaque bears the principal inscription THIS
CROSS IS DEDICATED TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY OF BRAVE MEN OF
WOODFORD WHO/ LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918.

<1> Historic England, 2015, Woodford War Memorial (Designation Advice Report). SNN110035.

Record last edited

Dec 3 2019 12:04PM