Ashwell War Memorial facts for kids
The Ashwell War Memorial is a special cross built to remember soldiers from the village of Ashwell. This village is in North Hertfordshire. The memorial was designed by a famous architect named Sir Edwin Lutyens. It was officially shown to the public in 1922. This cross is one of 15 similar designs Lutyens created between 1920 and 1925. It is also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical structure.
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Why Was the Memorial Built?
After the Great War (1914-1918) ended, people in Ashwell wanted to remember those who fought. They especially wanted to honor the soldiers from their village who died. So, in 1919, a group called the parish war memorial committee was formed. A local brewer, Wolverley Attwood Fordham, led this committee.
Choosing the Design
The committee asked several people for ideas on how the memorial should look. They talked to famous architects like Sir Reginald Blomfield and Sir Edwin Lutyens. They also considered ideas from a local building company called Tappers. In the end, they chose the design by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Building the Memorial
The memorial was built by a company called Holland, Hannen & Cubitts. This company also built another very famous memorial by Lutyens, The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London. The Ashwell War Memorial cost £557 to build. This price included a fee of almost £43 for Lutyens' design work.
What Does the Memorial Look Like?
The Ashwell War Memorial stands on the east side of Ashwell village. It is near where Lucas Lane and Station Road meet.
The Cross and Base
The main part of the memorial is a tall cross made of Portland stone. This stone gets narrower as it goes up. The cross stands on a square base and a platform. This whole structure sits on a round stone base with two steps. Usually, these memorials have three steps, but this one has two. Green grass surrounds the memorial.
Special Location
The memorial is built higher than the road. A stone wall holds it up, and there are six steps leading up to it.
Messages on the Stone
The cross has important words carved into it. On the front, it says: "IN HONOUR OF THE MEN OF / ASHWELL WHO FOUGHT IN THE / GREAT WAR AND IN LOVING / MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL / OUR GLORIOUS DEAD" Below this, there are names of soldiers. Then it says: "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE"
On the south side of the memorial, the date "1914" is carved, along with more names. On the north side, you can see the date "1919" and even more names. Later, after World War II, more names were added to the base of the memorial. These were for the soldiers who died in that war. In total, the memorial lists 42 names.
Unveiling and Recognition
The Ashwell War Memorial was officially shown to the public on December 4, 1921. The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Thomas Brand, 3rd Viscount Hampden, led the ceremony. A Lord Lieutenant is the King's or Queen's representative in a county.
In November 1984, the memorial became a Grade II listed building. This means it is protected because of its special historical and architectural importance.
