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Ashton Keynes

This war memorial consists of an ancient hooded preaching cross dating from approximately 1400. It is mounted onto a stone octagonal shaft of the same age but possibly pieced in from another cross, and an octagonal plinth with quatrefoil decoration on each face and a moulded torus. This is set on two large square steps, and whilst the plinth and steps are later additions to the monument it is all constructed from a Cotswold limestone. The cross stands in its original position within Holy Cross Church of Ashton Keynes and was converted from a preaching cross to a war memorial in memory of the people of Ashton Keynes who died whilst fighting in World War I. The cross has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

In 2013 War Memorials Trust offered a grant of £934 towards the conservation of the memorial. It was heavily colonised by lichen and algal growth, which although not necessarily damaging to the health of the stone it was obscuring the lettering on the memorial. Algae and moss can be more damaging to stonework than lichen as they are moisture-loving and can colonise initially due to water accumulating within the pores of the stone. Some lichens produce acids which can, over time lead to degradation of stone. For further information on the safe removal of lichen from stonework and for details of their legal protection please see our Lichens Helpsheet.

The memorial was first cleaned using cellulose sponges, nylon brushes, wooden spatulas and a weak ammonium bicarbonate solution, and then DOFF cleaned. The pointing was in very poor condition and in places had been carried out using a cement mortar. This was carefully removed using hand tools only and the memorial was re-pointed using a colour-matched lime mortar of hydraulic lime and soft sand. Any fractures, voids or gaps in the stonework were plugged using a lime grout. The cement joints on the shaft was left in place as the surrounding stone was still sound and the removal of the mortar would be likely to cause more damage.

The memorial was dedicated by the Bishop of Bristol 25th July 1917. The inscription on the memorial reads: 

To the Glory of God
and as a memorial to the men of this parish
who fell in the service of their country
in the Great War of 1914 –18
This cross was restored by public subscription
June 1917 and dedicated by the
Lord Bishop of Bristol the Rev George Nickson on DD LLD
July 25th 1917. M. J. T. Milling Vicar

Also in memory of those who died in the war 1939 - 1945

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM7293
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 23883

War Memorials Online: 140937

English Heritage Historic Environment Record: 1019844

War Memorials Trust Lichen Helpsheet: Conservation Lichen

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

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