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Anwoth Parish (original)

In 2015, a cooper war memorial plaque that had once been displayed in Anwoth Parish Church (now closed) was discovered in a skip. The recovered plaque was handed to a local community group, the Gatehouse Development Initiative. The plaque was primarily dedicated to the Rev Frank Saunders, Minister of Anwoth from 1907 till his death in France in 1918. Saunders was one of the very few Church of Scotland Ministers who joined up and were killed in action during World War I. It is not entirely clear how or why it came to be discarded but following the Second World War, a new marble plaque recording the names of those from the parish who lost their lives in both wars, was inserted in the existing marble surround in plaque of the copper plaque, and unveiled in 1948.

In 2016 a grant of £1,800 was offered for repair and conservation work. The plaque was taken to a conservation studio where the copper surface was re-shaped while cracks and smaller perforations were repaired. The entire surface was cleaned, re-patinated and layers of protective wax applied. A new timber mount was created for the plaque.

The memorial plaque was originally unveiled and dedicated in 1921. From 2016 its conserved and repaired form is  displayed alongside the 1948 plaque within the Gatehouse of Fleet Parish Church. An interpretation panel is alongside which explains the history of the cooper plaque and why names are duplicated. 

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM9401
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 000000

War Memorials Online: 206483

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

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