War Memorial to Private James Miller VC

Heritage listing

Details A First World War memorial of 1917. MATERIALS: white Cornish granite plinth, shaft and cross with a bronze replica medal and lead lettering, bedded in large-aggregate concrete resembling granite. PLAN: the memorial stands in the churchyard in a gap in the boundary hedge, facing westwards towards the road. DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a base step surmounted by a plinth, shaft and wheelhead cross, and stands around 2m tall. The cross has tapered arms decorated with interlace, and a central boss. The shaft tapers slightly and has bands of interlace at its head and foot, and a rounded border to each edge. At its head is a larger than lifesize bronze replica of the Victoria Cross. Below this is an inscription in painted lead-filled lettering, reading: IN/ MEMORY/ OF/ PRIVATE/ JAMES/ MILLER/ V.C/ THE KING'S OWN/ (ROYAL LANCASTER/ REGIMENT)/ DIED FROM/ WOUNDS ON/ JULY 30TH 1916/ AGED 26 YEARS/ INTERRED AT/ RECONDEL [sic] FRANCE The plinth is battered to all four sides, and rock-faced except for the front faces. The sloping front face bears raised lettering, reading: STORY OF THE HEROIC DEED/ ORDERED TO TAKE AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE UNDER/ HEAVY FIRE AND TO BRING BACK A REPLY AT ALL COSTS,/ PRIVATE MILLER, WHILE CROSSING THE OPEN, WAS/ ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SHOT THROUGH THE BODY. IN SPITE/ OF THIS, WITH HEROIC COURAGE AND SELF-SACRIFICE HE/ STRUGGLED ON, DELIVERED THE MESSAGE, STAGGERED BACK/ WITH THE ANSWER, AND FELL AT THE FEET OF HIS OFFICER./ HE GAVE HIS LIFE WITH A SUPREME DEVOTION TO DUTY. The vertical front face of the base of the plinth reads: "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS" The vertical face of the front of the base step reads: ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION. The rear face of the cross and shaft has identical

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.