The Memorial
This has to be my all time favourite war memorial. I walked past it every school day for six years as I went to Ashfield Junior School just up School Lane. I also attended many Remembrance Day ceremonies while a member of cubs and scouts. The simplicity of the memorial is superb.
The memorial consists of shaped blocks forming a stepped obelisk of Portland Stone, some 13 ft high, in front of which stands a mourning female figure. There is no ornament on the obelisk at all, which in the spirit of the times, was thought a benefit.
The names of the fallen are engraved on the rear of the monument.
The over-lifesize figure, about 8ft high, stands head bowed, resting her chin on her hand, the elegant shape of which is a feature of the monument. Her other hand, in front of her, holds a wreath. She wears a simple shift, hanging straight down at the front, then to the side so as to expose her feet, and drape over the side of the base; drop folds to left and right provide a frame. Overall, the figure has a simple elegance and dignity.
Sir William Reid Dick RA (1879-1961), the sculptor, was himself one of the first sculptors to enlist in WW1, joining the Royal Army Medical Corps.
To complete this EarthCache:
Email me (or use the Message Centre) with the following information:
- From the listed coordinates, examine the stone from which the Memorial is built.
- (1) Have a close look at the surface of the stone (a hand lens may help):-
Describe the surface of the rock:- colour, texture, variations and/or inclusions.
- (2)From the description of the three rock types what type of rock are you looking at? Why have you chosen this answer?
- (3) Why would this type of rock be used in this situation?
- (4) When was the rock formed? (You may need to do some research here)
- (5) At the rear of the memorial. How many paving slabs are there on the access to the names of the fallen?
- Optional activity:Take a picture of yourself and/or your GPS unit beside the memorial. Attach this to your post.
Answers must be sent to me by e-mail or through the message centre in order to claim the cache, and an optional photo may be uploaded as suggested above. Logged finds with incorrect or incomplete answers may be deleted.
Geology
Rock Types
Igneous rocks are formed by magma from the molten interior of the Earth. When magma erupts it cools to form volcanic landforms. If magma cools inside the Earth it forms intrusive rock, which may later be exposed by erosion and weathering. They tend to be crystalline or glassy, hard rocks.
Metamorphic rocks have been subjected to tremendous heat and/or pressure, causing them to change into another type of rock. They are usually resistant to weathering and erosion and are therefore very hard-wearing.The rocks that result from these processes often have ribbon-like layers and may have shiny crystals, formed by minerals growing slowly over time, on their surface.
Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments that have settled at the bottom of a lake, sea or ocean, and have been compressed over millions of years. The sediment comes from eroded rocks carried there by rivers or ice, and from the skeletons of sea creatures.Generally, sedimentary rock is fairly soft and may break apart or crumble easily. You can often see sand, pebbles, or stones in the rock, and it is usually the only type that contains fossils.
Portland Stone
Portland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds.
Portland stone formed in a marine environment, on the floor of a shallow, warm, sub-tropical sea. It is composed from an accumulation of shell, algal, coral and fecal debris and from the precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Over time layers of this material are compressed and cemented together (lithified) to form the limestone.
The degree of cementation in Portland stone is such that the stone is sufficiently well cemented to allow it to resist weathering but not so well cemented that it can't be readily worked (cut and carved) by masons. This is one of the reasons why Portland stone is so favoured as a monumental and architectural stone.
Portland Stone has been used since Roman times. It has been a very popular building material particularly where the desired architectural effect was one of grandeur.As it is a strong but fine limestone it is rather expensive and this has restricted its use to civic and commemorative architecture such as statues and memorials as well as larges public buildings such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, built by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1711.
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The series is dedicated to those who fought for their country. "We will remember them!”
If anyone would like to place a War Memorial Cache of your own then please do so. We would ask if you do so please contact Just-us-Two through their profile page or justustwo1013@gmail.com
so they can keep track of the numbers
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*****PLEASE NOTE IMPORTANT *****
****PHYSICAL CACHES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE PLACED ON THE ACTUAL MEMORIAL OR WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF SUCH MEMORIALS. AT ALL TIMES PLEASE TREAT LOCATIONS OF MEMORIALS WITH RESPECT. ****