War memorials listed to protect their future

A project to list the country's war memorials has seen four monuments in Bedfordshire join the scheme.
Ampthill War Memorial PNL-140408-110934001Ampthill War Memorial PNL-140408-110934001
Ampthill War Memorial PNL-140408-110934001

The memorials in Ampthill, Marston Moreteyne, Stotfold and Houghton Conquest have been added to Historic England’s list, which hopes to record 2,500 memorials by 2018.

War memorials were built by communities in the years following the First World War as a physical reminder of the sacrifices and loss the conflict brought about.

Roger Bowdler, Director of Listing at Historic England, said: “One hundred years on, it is time to come together again to ensure our memorials are in good condition, and properly recognised by listing where appropriate.

“Researching, recording and recommending up to 2,500 more war memorials for listing over the next five years is a major task but one that Historic England is proud to undertake. These memorials will gain a place on the National Heritage List for England to tell the story of this country’s sacrifice and struggle.”

Historic England is asking members of the public to put their monuments forward for listing, which with War Memorials Trust, Civic Voice and the Imperial War Museums, will communities discover, care for and conserve their local war memorials.

The programme is providing up to £2 million in grants for repair and conservation, and hundreds of workshops to teach people how to record their memorials and put them forward for listing.

For more information go to www.historicengland.org.uk/listingwarmemorials