CONSERVING OUR WAR MEMORIALS War memorials across Wales are a poignant part of our heritage and continue to play an important role in the commemoration of the First World War. They are an expression of loss, grief and pride shared by communities and a focal point for commemoration, and their location often directly reflects that public role. They are found everywhere across Wales reflecting that nearly every community sent people off to fight, with so many suffering death and injury. There are up to 5,000 war memorials in Wales and they do not always take the obvious form of plaques or pieces of sculpture; there are many memorial parks, hospitals and village halls, built by public subscription, all of which form part of the legacy of remembrance for communities. At the start of the commemoration period, Cadw published new guidance aimed specifically at helping communities to care for their memorials offering practical advice and guidance for their conservation and repair. Cadw also launched a grant scheme in 2014 offering financial support for conservation work. The aim of both the guidance and grants scheme was to safeguard our war memorials, helping communities to bring them back to a good state of repair and keeping them that way, to ensure they retain a living role in the future. Cadw awarded 41 grants totalling almost £230,000. Caring for these memorials is a way of honouring the memory of the thousands of ordinary Welsh men and women whose lives were touched by war and there have been a number of recent listings of war memorials, in recognition of their significance. Here are just three examples of newly-listed war memorials in Wales.
Images left and right: Penyrorsedd War Memorial © Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
CYMRU’N COFIO WALES REMEMBERS 1914−1918 |
33
