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Canwick

The memorial consists of a limestone decorative gothic style shrine. The roof has fish scale lead tiles and the gables have decorative pinnacles on each of the four corner. The front and sides of the shrine are open with arches; the rear is closed with a relief inscription. At the four corners are columns with decorative capitals. At the base of the memorial there is a bath stone plinth with a relief commemorative inscription. Inside the shrine there is a decorative ferrous structure which is fixed to each column and to the centre of the memorial. In the centre there is a flat plate which a timber Jesus effigy is fixed to. Mounted on the plinth there is another ferrous shrine proper which is a replica of a 15th century Italian relic. The memorial is located on in the grounds of All Saints Church, Canwick. 

In 2014 a grant of £2,445 was awarded through the Grants for War Memorials Scheme for repair and conservation work. The stone and lead roof was covered in biological growth and soiling which was holding water onto the surface of the stone. The mortar in the construction joints had cracked or was missing and parts of the decorative stone carving was missing. In addition the ferrous metal elements were corroded and the paint finish was peeling off. The timber effigy was in a poor condition the figure had a missing arm and little of the gilding remained.

Before work started on the memorial, paint analysis was undertaken to find out how the memorial was decorated. To address identified issues the memorial was appropriately cleaned and stone repairs where undertaken. The construction joints were re-pointed with a lime based mortar. In addition the timber effigy was repaired and re-gilded to match the original finish and ferrous metal elements were cleaned and re-painted. 

The memorial was the vision of Claude George Melville Pym and his wife Lucy Victoria Pym, the parents of Claude John Pym and Francis Leslie Melville Pym who died in the Great War. The family home was Canwick House, Canwick, Lincoln. It was funded by the Pym family with the help of the community.  The memorial itself was designed by Mr S. Parvin of Messrs Turner, Lord & Co. of London and the very fine execution is by Messrs M. Tuttell and Son of Lincoln. It is also believed that some part of the work was undertaken by Ernest Pickering, stonemason/artist of Bracebridge, Lincoln. The shrine was dedicated on the evening of Tuesday 24th June 1919. The service was of a two-fold character, which included a special memorial service for Francis Leslie Melville Pym of the Irish Guards and Joseph Oxby of the Northants Regiment. This was distinct from the dedication of the shrine. Previously, memorial services had been held for each named man on the memorial as news of their death had been received.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM8235
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 64130

War Memorials Online: 187389

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

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