Branston War Memorial

Heritage listing

Details First World War memorial, approx 1920, with Second World War addition. DESCRIPTION: Branston War Memorial is located in a niche in the churchyard wall of St Guthlac’s Church, facing Main Road, Branston, Leicestershire. It is prominently situated by the roadside in the heart of the village. It comprises an approximately 2.5m calvary consisting of a timber canopied cross with carved wooden figure of Christ, atop a tapering four-sided plinth on a two-tiered base. This is accompanied by two roll of honour boards (with gable-shaped canopies) attached to the walls either side. The curving back wall is a deliberately-created semi-circular niche in the churchyard wall, and has an eyebrow head at the centre, behind the calvary. The ground is paved and has a kerb that runs along the footprint of the original churchyard wall. The plinth bears the inscriptions in leaded lettering. The principal inscription is in incised and infilled lettering and reads "LORD REMEMBER WHEN THOU COMEST/ IN THY KINGDOM THOSE WHO GAVE LIFE/ FOR US IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918"/ (NAMES)// R.I.P.// "SONS OF THIS PLACE, LET THIS OF YOU BE SAID,/ THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD/ THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES, THAT YOU WHO LIVE MAY REAP/ A RICHER HARVEST, ERE YOU FALL ASLEEP". The Second World War inscription on a side face of the plinth reads 1939 - 1945/ NAME. The rolls of honour on the walls read IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE OF/ THE MEN OF BRANSTON WHO WENT/ TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 18/ AND RETURNED IN SAFETY/ WE THANK THEE O GOD/ (NAMES).

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.