Sandridge Lychgate facts for kids
The Sandridge Lychgate is a special memorial in the village of Sandridge, Hertfordshire, England. It's a wooden gate, called a lychgate, that stands at the entrance to the churchyard of St Leonard's Church, Sandridge. This gate is important because it remembers the 24 soldiers from the village who died in World War I. It also honors those who survived the war. This historic gate is protected as a Grade II listed building.
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Why the Sandridge Lychgate Was Built
After World War I ended, many towns and villages in Britain wanted to remember the soldiers who had fought and died. So, thousands of war memorials were built all over the country. These memorials helped people to never forget the huge number of lives lost in the war. The Sandridge Lychgate is one of these special memorials, and it's unique because it's a lychgate.
What the Lychgate Says
On the left side of the Sandridge Lychgate, there's a message carved into the wood. It explains why the gate was built. The words say:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD THIS LYCHGATE WAS ERECTED IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 AND KEEPS ALIVE ALSO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL IN THE WORLD WAR OF 1939 - 1945
This means the gate was built to honor the soldiers from Sandridge who died in World War I (1914-1918). It also remembers those who died in World War II (1939-1945).
The Unveiling Ceremony
The Sandridge Lychgate was officially opened and dedicated in a special ceremony. This event took place on Sunday, April 24, 1921, at 3:00 PM. Many people from the village came to watch.
- A group of young people from the St Alban's Church Lads' Brigade stood in a line. They formed a path leading from the church door.
- The church leaders and singers stood inside the lychgate.
- The people who were mourning stood right in front of the gate.
- The soldiers who had returned from the war stood to the left.
- The local schoolchildren stood to the right.
- Everyone else stood behind the mourners.
The Reverend T. W. Lister read a passage from the Book of Revelation. The main speech was given by the Very Reverend George Wilfrid Blenkin, who was the Dean of St Albans. At the lychgate itself, Colonel Henry Page Croft, a Member of Parliament (MP), officially unveiled the memorial.
The children sang a final hymn:
O valiant Hearts Who to your glory came
After the hymn, there was a blessing, followed by a bugle call called The Last Post. There was a short moment of silence, then another bugle call called the Reveille, and finally, the National Anthem was played.
Protecting the Lychgate
The Sandridge Lychgate is an important historical structure. Because of its history and special design, it was officially listed in 1984. This means it is protected by law to make sure it is kept safe for future generations.
