Memorial details
- Memorial type
- Park / Sports field
- District
- West Oxfordshire
- Town
- Witney
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Country
- England
- Commemoration
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Lost
- Not lost
- WM Reference
- 63645
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Current location
The Leys
Witney
West Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
OX28 4AW
England
OS Grid Ref: SP 35612 09168
Denomination: Undefined
- Description
- Recreation ground comprising two grassed areas and an avenue of trees. Dedicatory tablet mounted on southern end of wall by the thoroughfare passing alongside St Mary's Church. Tablet faces south towards the recreation ground. Tablet has carved decoration of wreath, branches and flowers. Leaded inscription. The avenue of lime trees lead from the town towards the location of the former Witney Railway Station - a route many would have taken on their way to war. The annual Witney Feast is held on the smaller grassed area. In 2018, a First World War Centenary Memorial was erected on the western side consisting of a small garden with several features. A central stone pillar has an inscription on two sides and two plaques (Merchant Navy and Centenary Fields) mounted onto the third. Two curved pillars have a mosaic design featuring the opening line of 'In Flanders Fields' poem, three cap badges and the professions of Witney soldiers. A remembrance bench is situated beneath an arch which is of a similar design to one that used to illuminate the original tablet. A tommy silhouette with engraved shell at his feet. A small information board provides further detail.
- Inscription
- Original tablet: THE CHURCH LEYS/ WAS PURCHASED IN 1920 AS/ A PUBLIC RECREATION GROUND/ OUT OF FUNDS SUBSCRIBED BY/ THE INHABITANTS OF WITNEY/ IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918 Pillar side 1: THE INHABITANTS OF/ WITNEY/ REMEMBER/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-18/ 100 YEARS/ 1918 - 2018/ LEST WE FORGET Pillar side 2: THE "CHURCH LEYS"/ WAS PURCHASED IN 1920 AS/ A PUBLIC RECREATION GROUND/ OUT OF FUNDS SUBSCRIBED BY/ THE INHABITANTS OF WITNEY/ IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918
- Inscription legible?
- yes
- Commemorations
- First World War (1914-1918)
Total names on memorial: 0
Served and returned: 0
Died: 0
Exact count: yes
Information shown: Undefined
Order of information: Undefined
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Components
- Playing / Sports field
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Undefined - Tablet
Measurements: height 1040 mm, width 780 mm
Materials: Undefined - Garden
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Stone - Pillar
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Stone - Cotswold - Pillar
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Stone - Pillar
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Stone - Seat
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Metal - Arch
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Metal - Figure
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Metal
- Playing / Sports field
- Listing information
- This memorial is not currently listed. Find out how to nominate this memorial for inclusion on the National Heritage List for England
- More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website
- Condition
- Leys Recreation Ground Memorial
- WMO ID: 151843
- Condition: Poor [last updated on 02-10-2013]
- Help update these details if the condition is wrong
- Trust fund/Scholarship
- No
Purpose: In 1919 a fund was started to raise money for a war memorial and cottage hospital. Plans for the hospital, which was to have been on part of the cricket field in Newland, were abandoned because of escalating costs. Instead some of the money was used to bu - Sponsorship
- Public
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.
This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:
© WMR-63645
For queries, please contact [email protected].