Perlethorpe
St John

War Memorial

The Lych-gate - First World War Memorial

Entry into the Churchyard from the southern side, is by the lych-gate or gateway, which was erected as the Village War Memorial in 1921.

Following the return of those able, from the Great War, the Parishioners of Perlethorpe and Budby held a meeting in May 1920 to discuss the provision of War Memorials for the two villages. It was decided to erect a covered gateway at Perlethorpe Church, at the south entrance to the Churchyard, with brass plates let into the supporting walls on both sides of the entrance, looking towards the Park, on which would be engraved the names of those who fell in the Great War.

Subscriptions from some fifty-eight persons, and a generous donation from the fourth Earl Manvers paid for the lych-gate memorial at Perlethorpe. A similar arrangement was made for an Ionian memorial cross in the village of Budby.

Mr A Gleave of Nottingham designed the lych-gate and the work carried out by Thoresby Estate workmen with the Tudsbury Brothers of Edwinstowe executing the beautiful carving on the verge or barge-boards, and posts of the lych-gate.

The bronze plaques, on the memorial lych-gate, proclaim:

On the left (western) pillar:

On the right (eastern) pillar:

1914-1918

TO THE MEMORY OF
THOSE WHO AT THE
CALL OF KING AND
COUNTRY LEFT ALL
THAT WAS DEAR TO
THEM ENDURED
HARDNESS FACED
DANGER AND
FINALLY PASSED
OUT OF THE SIGHT
OF MEN BY THE
PATH OF DUTY AND
SELF-SACRIFICE
GIVING UP THEIR
OWN LIVES THAT
OTHERS MIGHT
LIVE IN FREEDOM.

S.BROWN
B.ST.M.CARDEW
C.GOODBAND
E.JACKSON
E.KING
A.MAIDEN
G.MILLIN
J.PARKIN
A.RAWLINGS
R.H.RUSSELL
W.TARR

Above the gateway the carved letters read:

THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE

The Lych-gate was dedicated at a service on Sunday 4th December 1921. Earl Manvers gave the address, pointing out how all those mentioned on the plaques had heard the call and went out to serve their King and Country, some in France others in Egypt and others further away on the sea. He also took the opportunity to speak to the scouts, who were there under command of Lady Cicely Hardy, Scoutmaster. He urged them to rise to the occasion and cultivate those two things which were so essential - Discipline and Duty - and so help make the world a better place to live in.

All present moved to the Memorial Gate where the unveiling was performed by Earl Manvers who dedicated it in these words:

“To the Glory of God and in grateful memory of those who gave their lives for King and Country and a righteous cause, I dedicate this Memorial.”

After the prayers, the “Last Post” was sounded by four buglers of the Sherwood Foresters Regiment, and after a short silence closed with “Reveille.”

The War Memorial lych-gate

Plaque on the left pillar

Plaque on the right pillar

We are indebted to the late Alan Bollans, past churchwarden of the parish for his detail on the above dedication service.

Roll of Honour

A Roll of Honour, is provided within the Church, dated October 1914, which gives the 34 names of: