War Memorial
WAR MEMORIAL, ABBEY PLACE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1391930
- Date first listed:
- 20-Feb-2007
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- WAR MEMORIAL, ABBEY PLACE
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1391930
- Date first listed:
- 20-Feb-2007
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 26-Feb-2007
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- WAR MEMORIAL, ABBEY PLACE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- WAR MEMORIAL, ABBEY PLACE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- West Devon (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Tavistock
- National Grid Reference:
- SX 48209 74383
Details
TAVISTOCK
78/0/10025 ABBEY PLACE
20-FEB-07 War Memorial
II
War memorial, 1921 by Messrs Rogers, constructed of light grey granite with black lettering.
PLAN: It has a square three stepped base with a tapering square plinth, rising to an octagonal shaft, topped by a clover leaf cross. In the southwest a scrolled tablet of additional names leans on the steps. The whole is set within a polygonal stone fenced grass enclosure.
ELEVATION: The circular centre of the cross bears the logo IHS in Gothic script on the south western face. The plinth also bears the text;
'I stand/ To bear proud witness to these men of Tavistock/ who died in England in the Great War/1914 -1918.'
The names of 119 men are inscribed upon the plinth and top step. The stone tablet, set against the steps at the southwest bears following text;
`In memoriam 1939 to 45 / Also to those who made the supreme sacrifice during the Second World War', and the names of a further 40 men. The whole is set within a small grassed polygonal enclosure with a low fence of granite obelisks linked by chamfered kerbstones and a single strand of loose black metal chain. Immediately opposite the entrance to the enclosure, on the southwest, is a plain light grey granite plaque with black lettering, bearing the text; `lest we forget.'
HISTORY: The war memorial was erected in 1921, by public subscription at a cost of £450. The list was declared closed in 1923, and the World War II section was added in the late 1940s.
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: War memorials are valued because of their continued relevance to society, acting both as a focal point for formal memorial services and providing a poignant finger post to the rich fabric of local history for casual passers-by. This example in Abbey Place, Tavistock is associated with other listed public statuary and civic buildings and its composition although simple, is elegant and sympathetic to its surroundings and contributes to the character of the town's Conservation Area.
SOURCES
http://www.roll of honour.com. accessed October 2006.
This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 8 December 2016.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 502436
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 8 December 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/2934
War Memorials Online, accessed 8 December 2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/119679
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 17:40:51.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.