Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Abertillery War Memorial
Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, designated on 21 October 1999.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Commemorative
- Date of designation
- 21 October 1999
- Locality
- Abertillery
- Community
- Abertillery
- Unitary authority
- Blaenau Gwent
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.72699, -3.13106
- Cadw reference
- 22505
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1895 · Sheet 11. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 232 Abergavenny (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 232 Abergavenny (Outline) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1913 · Sheet 102. Newport. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Prominently sited on narrow fork between junction of Queen Street and Somerset Street, set within large railed enclosure.
History
Unveiled 1st December 1926 by Viscount Allenby. Designed by George Thomas.
Exterior
Bronze figure of soldier waving his tin hat in the air (see similar figure at Ebbw Vale of 1924) set on tall two-stage pedestal of grey granite. Pedestal stands on three steps, each tread convex to centre. Bronze plaques to sides of upper stage of pedestal containing several names of the dead under each regiment; added plaques below of those killed in the 1939-45 war. S side has laurel wreath to upper stage of pedestal, set in recessed panel with inset lettering above: ‘Their name liveth for ever more’ and below ‘To the glorious memory of the men of Abertillery who fell in the Great War 1914-1918. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lays down his life for his friends (John 15 XIII)’. On W side is bronze plaque: ‘This memorial was unveiled by Field Marshall the Viscount Allenby on the 1st day of December in the year of our Lord 1926’. Below is plaque referring to the added World War II inscriptions, unveiled 7th November 1954 by Lord Raglan.
Wedge-shaped enclosure is surrounded by railings to W, E and S sides, with terrace abutting to N. Low plain iron rails set in moulded grey granite copings on low squared rock-faced stone walls. Paired strengthening rails, containing simple trophy motif rising to urn-type finials. Paired entrance gates to narrow S end. Rails and walls continue S for some five metres beyond the gates, acting as retaining wall for higher level of Queen Street.
Reason for designation
Listed as a well-designed and prominent First World War memorial.
Nearby in the register
- St Illtyd’s ChurchReligious, Ritual and Funerary1 mi
- St Illtyd Castle MoundMotte1 mi
- Hafod-arthenDomestic1 mi
- Aberbeeg 'Packhorse' BridgeTransport1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.