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Hindon

Hindon war memorial is a Portland stone pillar with an inscription on one face and names on the remaining three. The memorial was originally located within the centre of the village and was surmounted by a stone lantern. However, Hindon Parish Council meeting minutes from 21st September 1943 record the demolition of the memorial by a tank on 12th July 1943. The remains of the memorial were relocated to the village church as a temporary measure and following a public meeting on 14th August 1945 it was determined that the memorial should be re-erected within the churchyard. The memorial was rebuilt using the original stone by the west door of St John the Baptist’s Church. However, the lantern was not re-constructed because, it is believed, this element was too badly damaged. In addition to this the flower shelf was removed at this time to allow space for the commemoration of those who fell in the Second World War.

The Trust was originally approached for funding in April 2010 for the cleaning of the memorial and possible re-cutting of the lettering to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the memorial’s erection. Funding from the Trust was not pursued for these elements as the village managed to fundraise the amount required to undertake these works. It was later identified that there was a desire amongst the community to see the lantern rebuilt so that the original design and intention of the memorial could be restored. An application was made to the Grants for War Memorials scheme for this element.

In January 2011 the Grants for War Memorials scheme awarded a grant of £2,200 towards an estimated project cost of £4,465 for the replacement of the lantern. 

The reinstatement of lost elements can only be funded where the memorial has largely retained its integrity of design, where without such work its symbolic value is compromised and where there is historic evidence for the form of the missing element. Any reinstatement has to be undertaken on a like-for-like basis, using the same materials as the original. In this case there was a great wealth of evidence, in both written and photographic form, to support this project. The Grants for War Memorials scheme panel felt that the lantern was an important element to reintroduce as it was a functioning element of the original design and its loss had had a significant impact on the appearance of the war memorial.

The design of the new lantern was developed from the evidence of the historic photographs available and was produced from Portland stone, to match the materials of the original memorial and this was completed in July 2011.

The memorial was dedicated on 17th October 1920 and was unveiled by Mr Hugh Morrison MP. An article of the ceremony in the ‘Salisbury and Winchester Journal’ informs us that there was originally a projecting round shelf on the north face for flowers and that the intention was to place a light within the leaded lantern. It is also reported that the service was attended by some 700 people including religious representatives, comrades and school children. The memorial commemorates 19 men who fell in the First World War, of which 17 were from Hindon, 1 from Knoyle Down and 1 from the Dean. A dedication to the fallen of the Second World War was later added along with 3 associated names.

The memorial was erected by a local committee and the ‘Salisbury and Winchester Journal’ records the cost as being £220, which was raised by voluntary contributions from the community.

A full write up of this case can be found in Bulletin No 50.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM3898
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 23942

www.warmemorials.org/uploads/publications/306.pdf

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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