Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

MINTO WAR MEMORIALLB51163

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
B
Date Added
16/09/2008
Local Authority
Scottish Borders
Planning Authority
Scottish Borders
Parish
Minto
NGR
NT 56598 20093
Coordinates
356598, 620093

Description

Thomas J Clapperton, 1925. Bronze statue of First World War soldier in helmet and greatcoat standing on guard with bayonet, mounted on rugged stone plinth with boulders and 2 commemorative bronze plaques at base and set within memorial garden.

Statement of Special Interest

A highly expressive war memorial figure sculpture by the internationally successful, locally born sculptor Thomas J Clapperton (1879-1962), situated near the church at the heart of Minto.

Clapperton was born in Galashiels, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art from 1899 to 1901 before moving to London. He attended the Kennington School of Art, and then the Royal Academy Schools in 1904-5. He completed his studies in Paris and Rome on a travelling scholarship, returning to London afterwards to set up practice as a sculptor. For his native area, he designed the Mungo Park and Flodden memorials at Selkirk, and the war memorials at Canonbie, Earlston, Galashiels and Selkirk, in addition to this one at Minto. Unlike the large group war memorials of Sir William Goscombe John, under whom Clapperton had studied while at the Royal Academy, Clapperton's works tend to be individual or equestrian figures; but they are imbued with a similar sense of narrative and expression to those of his master. He was also responsible for a number of distinguished memorials to individuals, as well as figures such as the monument of Robert the Bruce on the front of Edinburgh Castle. His work outside Scotland includes a massive figurative frieze on Liberty's department store in London, and public works in New Zealand, Canada and California.

The statue is 9ft tall. The face of the soldier is based on that of Desmond Elliot, son of the Earl of Minto, who was killed in the Battle of the Somme. It faced Minto House when originally constructed, but was turned around after the Countess stated that she would prefer it to be guarding the house rather than attacking it.

The uppermost of the bronze plaques is the original one, and is moulded in such a way that the boulders appear to be making indentations in it from behind. It reads:

"THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST ARE A'WEDE AWAY"

TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF THE MEN OF MINTO PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918

"OUT OF DARKNESS THROUGH FIRE INTO LIGHT"

... followed by a list of the seven local men killed during that war, and concluding:

"REJOICE WE HAVE CONQUERED"

A lower plaque commemorates those who have died in active service since 1945.

The stone of the base came from Minto Crag.

References

Bibliography

Kitty Cruft, John Dunbar and Richard Fawcett, The Buildings of Scotland: Borders (2006), p569.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 05:40