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Memorial details

Memorial type
Cross
District
Mid Bedfordshire
Town
Shillington
County
Bedfordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), First World War (1914-1918)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 22nd August 1922
    Attended by: Mr M G Townley MP performed the unveiling
  • Rededicated
    Date: 10th November 1946
    Attended by: The Vicar, Rev. J. Farmiloe; Rev. H. W. Cooper, Congregational Minister; Mr Joseph Mott (Methodist Church).
  • Unveiled
    Date: 10th November 1946
    Attended by: Mr Horace Haynes, a former prisoner in Japanese hands
  • Dedicated
    Date: 22nd August 1922
    Attended by: Reverend M.L. Gooby performed the dedication
  • Show More (3)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
1663

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Current location

Next to Shillington Village Hall
opposite Wheelwright Close
War Memorial Garden
High Road
Shillington
Mid Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
SG5 3PJ
England

OS Grid Ref: TL 12731 34120
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
A Portland stone Maltese cross on a stepped base and plinth stands in the middle of a memorial garden with grass and hedging. Names and inscription are recessed on the plinth with black lettering. An additional name was added in 2009, in the form of a new stone block placed by the front face of the cross.
Inscription
West face: TO / THE GLORY OF GOD / IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF SHILLINGTON / WHO FOUGHT AND DIED FOR / THEIR KING AND COUNTRY / DURING THE GREAT WARS / 1914 - 1918 / 1939 - 1945 / (WW2 Names) North face: (WW1 Names) South face: (WW1 Names)
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Allen, Christopher
Ansell, Alfred
Ansell, Harry
Ashton, Albert
Brewer, John
Cole, Frederick
Denton, Joseph
Dooley, V
Fisher, F. H.
Grundon, William S
See details for all 34 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 8
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 8
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: initials, surname, regiment
    Order of information: surname
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 26
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 26
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: forenames, surname, regiment
    Order of information: year died,rank,forename
Components
  • Cross
    Measurements: depth 240mm, height 3800mm, width 600mm
    Materials: Stone - Portland
  • Garden
    Measurements: width 22m
    Materials: Undefined
Listing information
  • Shillington War Memorial
  • Grade II
  • This memorial is protected, and listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. View list entry
  • More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website
  • Historic England
Condition
History
1985: Railings painted 1988: Stonework cleaned 1989: Plinth repaired 2009: An additional stone, re W A Ingram of the Royal Artillery (who died 25/11/1946), was placed adjacent to the memorial. 2016: The memorial and path were professionally cleaned, and the inscription was refurbished.
Costs

Site: Donated by Mrs Handecombe
Memorial: c£200

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Details: Paid for by the villagers by voluntary subscription. The land on which it stands (adjacent to the Handscombe Memorial Hall) was donated to the Parish Council by Mrs Handscombe.
Responsibility
Shillington War Memorial trustees (i.e. Shillington Parish Council)
Reference
  • Biggleswade Chronicle - Friday 25 August 1922 SHILLINGTON'S WAR MEMORIAL. Mr. M. G. Townley, M.P., Performs the Unveiling.
  • Bedfordshire Times and Independent 25/8/1922 (page 2) reported the unveiling. (names)
  • Bedfordshire Times and Independent - Friday 15 November 1946 MEMORIAL TABLET UNVEILED Shillington Ceremony on Remembrance Day (Reinscribed tablet)

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.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

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© WMR-1663

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