Memorial details

Memorial type
Composite
District
West Somerset
Town
Watchet
County
Somerset
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 28/06/2014
    Attended by: General Sir Michael Rose
  • Dedicated
    Date: 28/06/2014
    Attended by: Rev. David Cooper
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
97206

Support IWM

Donate with Just Giving

Any gift we receive makes a vital contribution to our ongoing work, from conserving our collection to supporting our public programme.

Make a Donation
Current location

It is located in the plaza outside the library.
Watchet Community Library
The Esplanade
Watchet
West Somerset
Somerset
TA23 0AJ
England

OS Grid Ref: ST 07258 43347
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Refurbished garden area adjacent to the town's Library, the main feature of which is a new Portland stone memorial, which is set against the back of the Library wall. This consists of a Celtic cross with knot work around the wheel and a Dove of Peace carved within a gilded roundel at the crossing, set on a plinth sculpted like sandbags, containing a tablet carved with a border of barbed wire bearing the incised names in columns. This is set on two steps, which bear incised inscriptions on the North and East steps, and the crests of the three Armed Services, and those of the Merchant Navy and the Royal British Legion carved along the front of the lower step. Immediately to the right of the cross is a small laminate plastic plate recording the unveiling and dedication of the memorial, whilst further to the right is an illustrated interpretative panel within a free-standing glazed metal stand. The wall and railings surrounding the garden have been refurbished. The Memorial was funded as the town's first War Memorial, and the organising Project Group also produced two Rolls of Honour giving further details of those commemorated on the tablet which are displayed in the nearby Methodist Church (see WMR 97687) and St Decuman's Parish Church in the town. There are brass war memorials in the Methodist Church (WMR 97690) and a glazed paper Roll of Honour in St Decuman's Church (WMR 24743). The town's original Great War Memorial was the Watchet War Memorial Ground (WMR 97689).
Inscription
On the tablet: 1914 - 1918/ (Names)/ 1939 - 1945/ (Names). On the front (North) step: We will remember them. On the side (east) step: They made us free. Unveiling plaque: Commissioned by/ Watchet Remembrance Project Group./ In memory of the fallen of Watchet./ Unveiled by/ General Sir Michael Rose KCB. CBE. DSO. QGM. DL./ Dedicated by/ the Reverend David Cooper/ on 28th June 2014./ Centenary of the outbreak of the Great War. On the interpretative panel: Watchet Remembrance Project Group/ Watchet Memorial/ (Details of the project and the memorial).
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Babb, William G
Balman, William E
Bennett, Joseph W E
Binding, Donald J
Binding, Ernest W
Binding, Gordon H
Binding, Henry
Binding, Walter S
Binding, William J
Brown, Edward L
See details for all 58 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 42
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 42
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forename, initials, surname
    Order of information: Alphabetical order by surname then forename
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 16
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 16
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forename, initials, surname
    Order of information: Alphabetical order by surname then forename
Components
  • Undefined
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Portland stone
  • Undefined
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brass
  • Undefined
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Steel and Glass
Listing information
Condition
History
The Project Group handed over ownership and responsibility for the Memorial to Watchet Town Council on July 3rd 2021.
Costs

Comments: The stone memorial cost £16,000, with a further £6,000 being spent on refurbishing the garden it was installed in.
Memorial: £30,000

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Details: Watchet Remembrance Project Group
Responsibility
Watchet Town Council

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-97206

For queries, please contact [email protected].