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Hardwick

This memorial is situated within the curtilage of the Grade II* listed St Mary’s Church in the village of Hardwick. It is built of Clipsham limestone, consisting of a Gothic style Latin cross with crockets on the arms. The shaft of the cross is a slightly tapered octagonal column and the column plinth is a chamfered square block. The plinth sits on a three-stepped base, the lower step formed of three layers.  The front face of the plinth and the front faces of the top step are incised with the inscriptions. The memorial is dedicated to those killed in the First World War. The memorial is located in a conservation area.

In 2011, a grant of £774 was provided through the Small Grants Scheme towards conservation works as there were a number of open joints and the render on the brick base had deteriorated; in addition, the inscriptions were very difficult to read due to lichen colonisation. Open and failed joints were raked out by hand tools and re-pointed with lime mortar matched to the existing in colour, texture and bonding strength and water traps were filled with lime mortar repairs. The memorial was cleaned and a biocide was then applied to inhibit biological re-growth. The cleaning sufficiently improved the legibility of the lettering so there was no need for any re-cutting of letters. Unfortunately as some of the cleaning works were undertaken outside of the approved method statement and were deemed as inappropriate, the offered grant was reduced but the Trust decided to pay the remainder of the grant in full.

The memorial was constructed by Messrs. Newman & Harper. Funding for the memorial was raised by public donations, with the following expenditure; stonemasons £350, architect £25, ‘printing’ £10. 11. 6d and buglers £1. 10. 0d. A dedication service was conducted on 30th April 1921 by the Rev F. E. Allen, Rector of Hardwick, whose son is named on the memorial and attended by local dignitaries and the choir of St Mary’s. A guard of honour was formed by Hardwick and Weedon ex-Servicemen with a detachment of the Royal Defence Corps from Aylesbury. During the service the memorial was unveiled by the Warden of New College, Oxford. The service was concluded with the playing of the Last Post by buglers. This service was reported on by an article in the 7th May 1921 edition of the Bucks Herald.

The centre-front face of the column plinth is inscribed:

“1914-1918
☩ To the
glory of
God & in
memory of
those who laid down their
lives in the Great War”

The front faces of the upper step of the base are inscribed with the names of those commemorated.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM4181
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 8051

War Memorials Online: 115268

The National Heritage List for England

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

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