NAMES uncovered last year on the lychgate of St Stephen Church in West Putford have received a new lease of life after restoration work took place to clean them up.

The names had been almost lost to the public as the granite tablets each side of the church lychgate had become worn with age and many were difficult to decipher.

But thanks to work carried out on the granite by Gist and Son of Torrington, the names are now clearly visible and will be on display as part of a major service on Remembrance Sunday.

The church’s lych-gate is over 100 years old and has served as a thanksgiving memorial for both East and West Putford to commemorate those who fell and took part in the Great War.

The Grade 1 listed parish church was built in the late 13th to early 14th century. It is a rare example of a church remaining largely untouched by ‘destructive’ Victorian restorers in the 19th century and was instead conservatively restored thanks to the ‘Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ principle founded by William Morris in 1877.

The most recent work carried out on the lychgate was made possible by grants from the Putford Post, Devon County Council and Devon Remembers.

Those names found on the war memorial, along with extra details supplied by Shawn Dymond of Holsworthy Museum, are: Capt Cecile William Charles Shelley — of the 2nd Battalion Scotts Guard, killed in action on October 17 1915.

Private Frederick Lane — of the 8th Battalion Devonshire Region, killed in action on September 4 1916.

Chief Petty Officer John Thomas Glover — HMS Stanley. December 19, 1941, aged 43. Son of Mrs W Vanstone, husband of Dorothy Ethel — moved to London many years before the outbreak of the War. He served during WWI and was recalled at the outbreak of WWII, being wounded at Dunkirk.

Gunner Alfred James Takel (of Colscott, West Putford) — aged 22, better known as ‘Alfy’, 137 Field Regt, Royal Artillery, killed in action in Malaya December 23, 1941.

The other names are of those from Putford who took part in the First World War but were not killed in action: Sgt F Arnold, Cpl R Arnold, Pte Arnold, S W Avery, J H Blight, J Cleverdon, J Coles, W Dean, J T Glover, C Harris, R Harris, N Harris, T Harris, F Heard, W R Johns, J Lewis, S Lewis, W H Morrish, S Nicholls, W J Hearn.

Churchwarden Pat Martin said: “Each year we read out a few names of those who died from the parish as some names have been visible.

“The tablets have been there for as long anyone could remember but these names were covered.

“We wanted to bring the names to the attention of members of the public in case someone might recognise a family member who they were unaware was commemorated there.”

With Remembrance Sunday approaching the names have been cleaned up just in time — the church will be holding a service on Sunday, November 8 at 2.30pm to re-dedicate the lychgate and honour those whose names had been obscured for many years.