Ashwell War Memorial, war memorial in Ashwell, Hertfordshire, England
Ashwell War Memorial is an upright stone cross at the center of the village in Hertfordshire, England, honoring those from the community who died in wars. The cross is made of Portland stone and tapers toward the top; about 42 names of fallen soldiers are carved into it, recording losses from the First and Second World Wars with inscriptions marking both conflicts on different sides of the monument.
The memorial was designed following the First World War when the village committee formed in 1919 and commissioned celebrated architect Sir Edwin Lutyens for the project. It was unveiled in 1921 and later expanded to include names from the Second World War, reflecting the monument's ongoing role in recording local losses across multiple conflicts.
The memorial carries the inscription honoring the men of Ashwell who fought in the Great War and serves the community as a central gathering place for remembrance. Villagers visit on special days like Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday to lay flowers and reflect on the sacrifices of those whose names are carved into the stone.
The memorial sits on the east side of Ashwell at the corner of Lucas Lane and Station Road and is easy to locate. A short flight of steps leads up to an elevated, quiet area surrounded by a stone wall, creating a peaceful setting for visits and reflection.
The memorial was built by the same construction firm that created the famous Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, underscoring its architectural significance. This combination of Lutyens' renowned design and this skilled craftsmanship makes the Ashwell memorial a remarkable example of its kind, despite standing in a small village.
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