Memorial details

Memorial type
Church Fabric / Fitting: Altar or altar part
District
Peterborough
Town
Stanground
County
Cambridgeshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), First World War (1914-1918)
Ceremony
  • Dedicated
    Date: 20 April 1919
    Attended by: The memorial altar was dedicated. (The associated names tablet had not yet been completed).
  • Rededicated
    Date: 6 November 1955
    Attended by: Clergy and parishioners attended the rededication of the names tablet, to which the WW2 casualties had been added.
  • Dedicated
    Date: August 1919
    Attended by: The associated tablet (bearing the names of 31 WW1 casualties) was dedicated.
  • Show More (2)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
1309

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Current location

In the chancel
St John the Baptist Church
Church Lane (off Church Street)
Stanground
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE2 8HH
England

OS Grid Ref: TL 19994 97482
Denomination: Church of England

View location on Google Maps
Description
High altar, with an associated tablet bearing the names of parishioners who died in WW1/WW2. The top slab of the altar has an incised cross at each corner, and rests upon four rectangular pillars. The associated rectangular tablet (on the north wall of the chancel) comprises two abutting sections: the upper bearing the WW1 inscription (i.e. erected in conjunction with the altar); the lower bearing the WW2 inscription (i.e. added after that conflict). The inscription on both is in incised black lettering. (N.B. The church is not open every day; see the Parish website for opening hours).
Inscription
Altar: IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE OF STANGROUND MEN WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 Associated tablet: THIS ALTAR WAS BUILT AS A MEMORIAL OF THE/ STANGROUND MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR A.D. 1914-1918/(Names)/ REMEMBER ALSO THESE WHO DIED 1939 - 1945/ (Names)/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 15
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 15
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forename, surname
    Order of information: Alphabetically by surname, in three columns
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 32
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 32
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forename, surname
    Order of information: Alphabetically by surname, in three columns
Components
  • Tablet
    Measurements: depth 40mm, height 300mm, width 870mm
    Materials: Stone - Clipsham
  • Tablet
    Measurements: depth 40mm, height 490mm, width 870mm
    Materials: Stone - Clipsham
  • Altar
    Measurements: depth 760mm, height 980mm, width 3380mm
    Materials: Stone - Clipsham
Listing information
Condition
History
14/11/1974: St John's Church was Grade I Listed (List Entry Number 1126699); the list entry details do not specifically mention the altar/tablet memorial (which are 'fixtures and fittings').// November 1955: The abutting extra tablet bearing WW2 names was added to the WW1 tablet.// August 1919: The WW1 tablet bearing 31 names was installed on the north wall of the chancel. (A further name, Harry Munns, was subsequently added, which is therefore out of alphabetical sequence)// 20/4/1919: The new altar was dedicated. (The associated tablet, bearing the names, had not yet been completed at that time).
Costs

Comments: The £100 cost of the altar and WW1 names tablet was raised by voluntary subscriptions.
Memorial: £100

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
Church of England
Reference
  • Peterborough Express, Wednesday 13th June 1917, page 3, reported: 'MEMORIAL ALTAR AT STANGROUND. The Vicar of Stanground (the Rev. A. J. C. Young) writes in the "Deanory Magazine": "It was announced in last month's notes that we hope to erect a very substantial stone altar as a permanent, indeed an everlasting memorial of those who fall in the war. This altar would replace the present small altar in our chancel. Such a change cannot be made without authority and a petition will be prepared, praying the Chancellor of the Diocese to grant the necessary permission or faculty as it is called for carrying out this pan. The petition will, I hope, be signed by every communicant and also by very many who, though (unhappily) they are not communicants, have a very direct concern with this question of our memorial altar. The petition will be taken from house to house throughout the parish shortly. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004075/19170613/028/0003
  • Peterborough & Hunts Standard9/8/1919 (page 7) reported: 'STANGROUND MEMORIAL ALTAR. NAMES OF 31 SOLDIERS FALEN IN WAR. A memorial tablet containing the names of fallen soldiers has been erected in Stanground Church. The names are cut out of plain stone, and the number is 31. The inscription reads: "This Altar was built as a memorial of the Stanground men who gave their lives for their country in the Great war, A.D/ 1914-1918". The names are... "May they rest in peace"'. that the tablet bearing 31 WW1 names had been erected in the church
  • Peterborough Advertiser, Tuesday 22nd March 1955, page 3: report of a recent annual parish meeting included mention that: 'A discussion was held to decide whether there should be a separate memorial for the names of the 15 Stanground men who gave their lives in the 1939-45 war, or whether the names should be added to the existing memorial for the first world war. It was decided to add them to the present one and to add the words: ''Remember also those who gave their lives in the 1939-45 war." The words "May they rest in peace" will be placed at the foot of the tablet'. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001630/19550322/054/0003
  • www.roll-of-honour.com/Huntingdonshire/Stanground.html
  • Stanground St John's Church website states that: 'In 1919 the people of Stanground decided to have a memorial to the local men who lost their lives in the Great War. They erected a new stone altar at the east end of the Church, the only such memorial we know of in the country'. www.stangroundcofechurches.co.uk/st-john-s
  • Historic England, St John's Church, Grade I Listing (on 14/11/1974). historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1126699?section=official-list-entry
  • Peterborough Standard, Saturday 26th April 1919, page 2, printed the following detailed report of the dedication of the memorial altar (in which it mistakenly referred to St John's Church as 'All Saints' Church'): A FITTING MEMORIAL. "IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE OF STANGROUND MEN." No village will have more dignified and fitting memorial to its fallen soldiers than Stanground. The project has been in preparation for some time, and on Sunday morning a crowded congregation at the parish Church of All Saints' [sic] saw its triumphant conclusion. The memorial takes the form of a new stone high altar for the Church. It is formed of a slab of Clipsham stone, on plain supports. In size it is larger than is generally seen today, being eleven feet in length. This was a quite a usual length in days gone by, and at Stanground there is evidence that the altar in use in the 14th century was of about this size. The proof is afforded by remains, still visible on either side of the east window, of the supports of the original riddells -an old English feature, which has been restored by the architect today. The ornaments are few and simple - another characteristic of English Church fittings of medieval times - consisting of two candlesticks and two flower vases. On the windowsill above is a wooden crucifix. This will be replaced with a similar one fixed into the stonework. for here again a lead-lined socket has been found, which was doubtless tor the original altar cross. Along the front of the altar slab are carved the words: In Thankful Remembrance of Stanground Men who fell in the Great War, - 1914-1918." Ordinarily this will be covered by the altar cloths, but the names of the men will be recorded on a tablet on the chancel wall. It was a great disappointment that this was not completed by Sunday. It will contain about 39 names. Other additions include a handsome altar frontal of Portuguese tapestry, and a sumptuous carpet - the latter being a generous gift. The whole forms a marked improvement to the Church interior, the only blot on the effect being the gaudy colours of the east window. The old altar, it should be stated, is in use in the side chapel formed at the east end of the south aisle. The architect for the new work is Sir Chas. Nicholson, and the builders. Messrs. Thomson and Son, of Peterborough. The altar was brought into use at the choral Eucharist on Sunday morning, (the earlier celebrations haring been held in the chapel). Dedicatory prayers were recited by the Vicar, after which the "Last Post" was sounded by buglers from the Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers, members of which attended in large force from Fletton sad Stanground. The procession followed, after which the Eucharist was solemnly offered. The celebrant was the Vicar, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. Canon B. K. Cunningham. of Cambridge. The servers were Messrs Kingston, Whitney and P. P. Kingston. Mr. Brice was at the organ, and Maunder's music was sung. The censer at this service was also an Easter gift to the Church. The Church was quite filled with worshippers, who entered most heartily into the service. The offertory, for the memorial fund, amounted to over £17'. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003301/19190426/027/0002
  • Peterborough Standard, Friday 4th November 1955, page 10, announced: Dedication. On Sunday, Remembrance Day at the Parish Church, the names of those who fell in the 1939-45 war, which have been added to the existing tablet on which are inscribed the names of Stanground men who lost their lives in World War 1, will be dedicated during the evening service. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003302/19551104/174/0010
  • Peterborough Standard, Friday 1st January 1926, page 6, printed a report headed 'TEN YEARS' PROGRESS. Vicar of Stanground Glances Backward. The Rev. A. J. C. Young, Vicar of Stanground, in his parish magazine, publishes a short review of Church work...' (In the report, he mentioned that 'In outward things we can see the new high altar with its beautiful appointments - our war memorial, which cost £120; the restoration of the ancient Lady Chapel for daily use in memory of my dear mother; the beautiful window over it, anonymously given in memory of another mother; the restored roof of the south aisle, which cost you £200; the restoration of the Parish Room, with new floor and ceiling. To this we must add the recent decoration of the rooms largely at the expense of those who carry on our play centre for the children. The re-building of our schools cost nothing, but we are thankful to see them in better condition than ever, and second to none in the county. And last of all you have just found £240 to restore the outer walls of the Church'. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003301/19260101/111/0006

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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