SALTASH’S unique Pebble War Memorial is to be carefully restored this autumn in a community project led by Saltash Town Council in partnership with former members of the Saltash Great War Commemoration Committee (SGWCC).

The restoration, which will take place in the Memorial Peace Garden at Alexandra Square over the next three months, will involve the delicate removal of 141 painted pebbles, each created during the town’s First World War centenary commemorations.

The pebbles include 140 carrying the names of Saltash men who lost their lives in the conflict, plus one placed in honour of those whose names were never recorded.

Artist David Whittley will undertake the painstaking restoration, cleaning and repainting the pebbles to match their original designs before applying a UV coating for long-term protection. They will then be reset into resin by South West Surfacing, as when the memorial was first created in 2018.

To ensure this year’s Remembrance events can still take place, a temporary poppy carpet will cover the memorial if the restoration runs into November.

Mayor of Saltash, Cllr Rachel Bullock, said the work was vital to protect the town’s heritage. She said: “This restoration project is a powerful reminder of our town’s deep respect and gratitude for those who served and sacrificed during the Great War. The Pebble Memorial stands as a unique and heartfelt community tribute – and I’m proud that Saltash Town Council is working in partnership to preserve it for future generations.

“We are grateful to the former members of the Saltash Great War Commemoration Committee for their continued dedication, and to all who originally contributed to this moving memorial. It is our collective responsibility to ensure their legacy, and the memory of our fallen, lives on.”

The WW1 Pebble Memorial was originally created as part of the Saltash Great War 1914– 1918 Commemoration initiative, and has long been recognised as an official Saltash Town Council War Memorial, acknowledged annually with a floral tribute during the Civic Remembrance service.

A supporting information board listing the 140 Saltash WW1 fallen, along with a record of the painted pebbles, remains in place to educate and inform visitors to the Peace Garden.

Although the Great War Committee has now formally disbanded, its former members remain committed to supporting the ongoing preservation of the memorials and structures that they initially established.

Observing some age and weather-related deterioration, they reached out to the town council with a proposed solution for restoration. The approach has been warmly received and reflects a continued shared commitment to honouring Saltash’s dignified and honourable past.

Former SGWCC members Lynn and Tony Marsh, together with Sue and John Hooper, who helped establish the memorial, welcomed the restoration. They said in a joint statement: “We are delighted that the Saltash Town Council continues to honour its fallen, with this important restoration – and, in doing so, will give this unique WW1 Pebble Memorial a new lease of life most fitting and deserving to our brave and valiant fallen of the Great War.”