Village Green, Junction A453 , Minor Road - Breedon on the Hill

World War I, World War II

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  • Listing Status: Grade II
  • District: NW Leics
  • Parish: Breedon on the Hill

Stone circular structure with domed roof surmounted by stone cross, with four arched entrances (now barred) and one stone tablet between two entrances to hold inscription.

Gallery
View Further Details Memorial Type:Other Structure Ref: WMP0197 Other Designation: Conservation Area Notes: Date listed: 03/03/2011 Listing ref: 1396591 Listing description: II War memorial built in 1926 by local men Messrs Salt, Lester and Barsby. The war memorial is located on the green in the centre of the village. It is a small, round, Norman-style building constructed of polygonal, Carnoniferous limestone with a shallow domed roof covered in stone slates, surmounted by a stone-capped finial and Latin cross. The stone-capped parapet has four embrasures and is supported by a plain corbel table. There are four regularly spaced, round-arched doorways with projecting imposts, and elaborate wrought-iron gates. In between two doorways is a marble tablet which is set into a roundarched recess with jagged stones forming a chevron pattern. The tablet is inscribed 'ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN OF BREEDON WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919' (names) '1939-1945' (names). The interior contains four tall alcoves positioned in between the doorways. HISTORY The war memorial in Breedon on the Hill commemorates the fallen from the First and Second World Wars. It was built in 1926 by local men Messrs Salt, Lester and Barsby with stone from Breedon quarry, supplied by the quarry owner J. G. Shields. The cost of labour and other materials was met by public subscription which raised £150. The unveiling by the Countess of Loudoun took place before a crowd of about 500 people, including around fifty ex-soldiers of the Parish. An undated photograph, probably taken in the 1920s/30s, shows a low circular wall constructed of polygonal stone around the memorial which has since been removed. In the 1950s, Robert Harvey, the local blacksmith, whose smithy overlooked the memorial, created the wrought-iron gates that were fitted into the four arched doorways. REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Norman-style war memorial in Breedon on the Hill, constructed in 1926, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: the memorial has special historic interest commemorating those members of the community who died in the First and Second World Wars. * Architectural interest: the memorial is a rare early-C20 example of a vernacular building constructed with local stone by local men to commemorate fallen friends. Its circular, Norman-style form takes its inspiration from other buildings in the village, rooting it architecturally and aesthetically in its locality. * Rarity: in contrast to the standard war memorial design, the Norman-style structure at Breedon on the Hill is extremely unusual. There are no listed examples of C20 war memorials in a similar form, and its rarity gives it considerable special interest. UKNIWM Ref: 37748 Information Sources: AF, LCC Website Links: http://breedononthehill.leicestershirepa...
http://photo-sleuth.blogspot.com/2008/1...

Location

Village Green, Junction A453 , Minor Road - Breedon on the Hill
Grid Reference: SK4025022931 Get Directions

Inscription Reads

ERECTED
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE MEN OF BREEDON
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE GREAT WAR
1914-1919
[NAMES ]
1939-1945
[NAMES]

Casualties Listing

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Name Rank Unit Batt Died Atkin - Wilfred Lance Corporal Leicestershire Regiment 1/5 01/11/1915 Bonser - Bert Private Machine Gun Corps (infantry) 18/06/1918 Bradbury - Samuel Edward Private Grenadier Guards 3 07/09/1918 Gadsby - John Private Leicestershire Regiment 1/5 11/05/1915 Hart - George
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