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Sheepy Magna

The Sheepy Magna war memorial is located on the edge of the churchyard of All Saints Church and fronts the main road. The memorial comprises a floriated Latin cross on a hexagonal column which sits on a plinth supported by a two-tiered stepped base. The inscriptions dedicated to those killed in World War I are carved into the stone and painted and a plaque commemorating those killed in World War II rests at an angle on the front steps. The memorial is made of Hollington sandstone.

In 2010, a grant of £1,498 was offered through the Small Grants Scheme towards repair and cleaning works to address structural concerns for the memorial. The memorial was leaning and the column was cracked due to a suspected problem with the foundations so the memorial had to be partly dismantled and re-built. The damaged stone was replaced with matching sandstone and cracks were pinned. The structure was reinforced by replacing the original copper dowels and pins with threaded stainless steel rods and the insertion of additional stainless steel dowels and pins. Copper is malleable and after inspection this was found to be the main cause of the lean so stainless steel fixings will provide more support for the structure. The memorial was cleaned by careful hand brushing using non-metallic brushes and de-ionised water. All bedding and pointing was undertaken with a lime mortar mix. Unfortunately the final grant award had to be reduced from the original grant offer as works which were excluded were undertaken; namely re-cutting all letters and re-facing the stone. However, due to the high priority of the other work in the project to re-erect the memorial and address the structural problems, the grant was paid towards these works.

The memorial was designed by the Rev W.G. Southwell (Rector of All Saints Church) and constructed by Messrs. James Bennett & Son of Birmingham. A memorial service was held on 7th November 1920 conducted by the Rector. The memorial was unveiled by Mr J. A. Hoyes then dedicated by the Rector. The service concluded with the laying of floral tributes, led by Mr F. W. Haskew (Chairman of the Sheepy Parish Council), after which the National Anthem was sung. A full account of the service was reported in ‘The Atherstone Advertiser’ on 12th November 1920.

The lower portion of the front face of the shaft is inscribed:

“1914
1918”

The front face of the plinth bears an inscribed wreath with two names of the fallen; one above and one below the wreath. The base of this face of the plinth also bears the inscription:

“Erected
by the
parishioners”

The left and right front faces of the plinth are inscribed with three names of the fallen.

The front face of the upper step of the base originally bore the inscription; “In grateful memory of the Sheepy men who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918”. However, this inscription appears to have been removed when the step was chamfered to receive the World War II plaque.

The front face of the lower step of the base is inscribed with:

“Death is swallowed up in victory”

The Second World War plaque is inscribed:

“1939 – 1945”

Below this are the four names of those who fell, under which is the inscription:

“Death is swallowed
up in victory”.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM3957
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 38136

War Memorials Online: 86316

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

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