Mells War Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mells War Memorial |
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| United Kingdom | |
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| For servicemen from Mells killed in the First World War | |
| Unveiled | 26 June 1921 |
| Location | 51°14′27″N 2°23′22″W / 51.24090°N 2.38933°W Selwood Street, Mells, Somerset
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| Designed by | Sir Edwin Lutyens |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name | Mells War Memorial |
| Designated | 1 January 1969 |
| Reference no. | 1058315 |
The Mells War Memorial is a special monument in the village of Mells in Somerset, England. It was designed by a famous architect named Sir Edwin Lutyens. This memorial was built to remember the brave soldiers from Mells who died during the First World War. It was officially revealed on June 26, 1921.
Sir Edwin Lutyens designed many buildings and structures in Mells. He was good friends with two important families in the area, the Horners and the Asquiths. Because of these friendships, he was asked to design several things, including memorials for two sons from these families who were also killed in the war. Lutyens walked around the village with local leaders to find the best spot for the memorial. He was very sad about how many young men from the village had died.
The memorial is a tall marble column with a sculpture on top. This sculpture shows Saint George fighting a dragon. Lutyens used this image on two other war memorials too. At the bottom of the column, the names of the villagers who died in the war are carved into stone panels. On each side of the memorial, there are stone walls made from local rock, with a yew hedge growing on top. Small stone benches stick out from the walls, where people can place flowers and wreaths. After the Second World War, more panels were added to the wall to remember those who died in that conflict. The memorial is a very important historical building, known as a Grade II* listed building.
Contents
Why Mells Has a War Memorial
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After the First World War ended, many war memorials were built all over Britain. One of the most important designers of these memorials was Sir Edwin Lutyens. He is known as one of the best English architects of his time. Before the war, Lutyens designed large country homes for rich families. But after 1917, he spent most of his time creating memorials for those who died in the war. He designed famous memorials like The Cenotaph in London and the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Mells was a very special village for Lutyens. He had designed many things there already. He was close friends with the Horner and Asquith families. Lady Frances Horner owned Mells Manor, a large house in the village. Lutyens first visited Mells in 1896 to help Lady Horner rebuild parts of her home.
The Horners' son, Edward, died in November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai on the Western Front. His name is on the Mells War Memorial. His family also asked Lutyens to design a separate memorial for him inside St Andrew's Church. This memorial is a large statue of a soldier on a horse, placed on a base designed by Lutyens. In the same church, there is another memorial for Raymond Asquith, who was Lady Horner's son-in-law and the son of the prime minister, H. H. Asquith. Raymond died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Both Edward and Raymond are remembered on the main village memorial.
By 1916, 74 men from Mells had gone to fight in the war. Several women, including Lady Horner, worked as nurses in France. By the end of the war, 21 men from Mells had been killed, and many others were hurt. Even the local church leader, called a curate, received a special medal for saving a wounded soldier.
Choosing the Memorial's Spot
At first, the people of Mells remembered their war dead with a stone plaque inside St Andrew's Church. It listed 14 names. But the Horner family wanted a bigger, public memorial. They held a meeting to discuss ideas. People wondered if the memorial should be something useful, like benches or a playground, or just a beautiful monument. They decided it should be something to look at and admire. After thinking about different places, they chose a spot on the main road where everyone could see it.
In August 1919, Lutyens visited Mells to find the perfect place for the memorial. He walked around with Katharine Asquith, Lady Horner's daughter and Raymond Asquith's widow, and other villagers. Lutyens was very touched by the villagers' sadness. He wrote to his wife that "All their young men were killed." He found a "perfect site" in the middle of the village that no one else had thought of. With some gentle persuasion, the villagers agreed to his idea.
How the Memorial Looks
The memorial is a Tuscan column made of a type of marble called Purbeck Marble. On top of the column is a statue of Saint George defeating a dragon. Lady Horner wanted a unique sculpture, but it was too expensive. So, they decided to make a copy of a statue found in Westminster Abbey. The column stands on a tall, narrow base made of Portland stone.
The base has a special message carved into it: "WE DIED IN A STRANGE LAND FACING THE DARK CLOUD OF WAR AND THIS STONE IS RAISED TO US IN THE HOME OF OUR DELIGHT; MCMXIV & MCMXIX". This verse was suggested by Robert Bridges, who was the official poet of the country, called the Poet Laureate. A cross is carved just above the words.
On each side of the base are stone panels with the names of the villagers who died in the war. Next to these panels are matching walls made of local stone from the nearby Doulting Stone Quarry. These walls have a yew hedge growing on top. In front of each wall, there is a small stone bench. Above the benches, round plaques were added to the wall. These plaques show the dates of the Second World War and the names of those who died in that conflict. The statue and the carvings were all done by an artist named Eric Gill. Many people believe the memorials in Mells are some of Lutyens' best works.
Lutyens was deeply affected by the war. He often preferred simple, abstract designs for his war memorials, rather than statues or religious images. The Mells memorial is one of the few where he used a statue, like Saint George. It is the most detailed of his public memorials that feature Saint George.
History of the Memorial
The Mells War Memorial was officially revealed in a ceremony on June 26, 1921. It cost £400 to build, which was paid for by donations from the public. Brigadier-General Arthur Asquith, whose brother Raymond is remembered on the memorial, performed the unveiling.
On January 1, 1969, the Mells War Memorial was given a special status as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building and is protected by law from being changed or destroyed. Grade II* status is given to "particularly important buildings" and only about 5.5% of all listed buildings have this high protection. In November 2015, to mark 100 years since the First World War, Historic England recognized Lutyens' war memorials as a "national collection" because they are so important to the country's history.
Images for kids
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A close-up of the statue of St George on top of the memorial.
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The plaque on the left side of the memorial.
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The center stone of the memorial.
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A view of the column.
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The plaque on the right side of the memorial.
