Exeter War Memorial
Exeter
Devon, England
EX4 3DU
Hartburn’s village war memorial is a Lutyens War Cross with deeply chamfered shaft on a two-stepped base on the central green, donated by the Strakers of Angerton Hall, built by local mason H. J. Robinson, unveiled in 1921, and bearing the sentry phrase “PASS FRIEND ALL IS WELL” with dates for both world wars.
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Description
Granite from Haytor on Dartmoor is the appropriate material for the large cross for the County of Devon, which stands in front of Exeter Cathedral. The suggestion to commemorate the dead from the whole county came from the Dean of Exeter in December 1918, who suggested that it should take the form of a cloister at the Cathedral. This was duly abandoned due to a shortage of funds and a Lutyens cross was chosen instead. The site in front of the cathedral is on the axis with the altar.
Metal railings were unfortunately added around the memorial in 2006, apparently due to vandalism and anti-social behaviour – which was not a problem with any of Lutyens’s other crosses.
The memorial was unveiled on 16 May 1921 by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. (Contributor: Peter Skelton)
War Memorial. 1921. By Sir Edwin Lutyens. Haytor granite. It consists of three stone steps to a rectangular plinth surmounted by a three tiered rectangular base changing via spurs into a lozenge shaped tapered shaft with a contemporary chamfered cross to the top. To the central tier of the base is carved the inscription: ‘THE COUNTY/OF/DEVON/TO/HER GLORIOUS DEAD/1914-1919/TE DEUM LAUDAMUS/1939-1945’ (Historic England, list entry 1393228)
Bibliography
Historic England.DEVON COUNTY WAR MEMORIAL AND PROCESSIONAL WAY. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1393228, Gliddon, G. and Skelton, T.J. (2008) Lutyens and the Great War. London: Frances Lincoln.