Memorial Options – Cloud of Witnesses

A large monument paying a reverent tribute to the martyrs who lost their lives in pursuit of their beliefs.  The name is inspired by the words of Paul which read:

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

The majority of this reformation monument will be a creative piece of landscaping with 401 rocks each representing a Protestant martyr and 380 steel rods each representing a Catholic Martyr.   The names of a few of them will be engraved on the rocks and rods, and their stories will be told on a free audio tour.   Interspersed will be a few statues, stained glass and relevant quotes honouring particular martyrs or events.

At the entrance to the Cloud of Witnesses is the statue of the Saviour and the Woman at the well – Living Water. An upturned jug has water flowing from it to feed a small stream which runs through the monument. This is symbolic of the Living Water which inspired these martyrs with their courage to stay true. At the far end of the monument will be another statue of Christ – the ultimate martyr – at which point the stream disappears. However, when you walk around the lower terrace the Living Water will reappear at the statue of the First Vision representing continuing revelation.

This monument will be a combined effort of sponsorship.

  • A Living Witness Donation
  • Sponsoring one of the bronze statues, stained glass or engraved quotes

A Living Witness Donation

These Living Witness donations will help purchase the stones, columns, water feature, landscaping, engraving, and audio technology of the Cloud of Witnesses monument. Any excess will fund other site construction.

  • Since there will be nearly 800 stones and columns it would be too awkward and cluttery to allow each to be dedicated to someone. Plus this would detract from the power of the monument itself and the stories it will tell.
  • Instead your donation will be recognised on the listing of Living Witnesses who add their voice to those of the Martyrs to declare that ‘He Lives.’ How we display these names will be decided when the main monument is complete and we know how many names we are dealing with.
  • Donate today and help us bring this inspiring message to life. >donate

£20 to £50
£51 to £250
£251 to £500

£501 to £1,000
£1,001 to £5,000
£5,001 to £10,000

£10,001 to £20,000
£20,001 to £50,000
£50,001 to £100,00
£100,001 +

Living Witness – Friend
Living Witness – Friend 250
Living Witness – Friend 500

Living Witness – Believer 1,000
Living Witness – Believer 5,000
Living Witness – Believer 10,000

Living Witness – Tribute
Living Witness – Patron
Living Witness – Legacy
Living Witness – Angel

Sponsored Features

The following bronze statues, stained glass and engraved quotes can each be dedicated with a plaque in honour of your family or friend or ancestors.

Prices will be added once all factors of design, creation, shipping, and installment have been considered. You can temporarily reserve an item while you wait for us to work things out. No obligation, but it prevents something you love from being taken.

PLAQUE A

£ TBC

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,    and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…”

Hebrews 12:1

FLOOR PLAQUE B

£ TBC

“Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”

Hugh Latimer

Born: c.1487 Thurcaston, Leicestershire
Died: 1555 Oxford
Burnt at the stake

PLAQUE C

£ TBC

“You can kill us, but you cannot do us any real harm.”

Justin Martyr    

Born: c.100 Judea
Died: 165 Rome

FLOOR PLAQUE D

£ TBC

“I have, by the aid of the Urim and Thumim, seen those martyrs, and they were honest, devoted followers of Christ, according to the light they possessed, and they will be saved.”

Joseph Smith

FLOOR PLAQUE E

£ TBC

We keep forgetting all those who lived before us
We forget those who live and worked in our communities
We forget those who prayed and sung in our churches
We keep forgetting what our fathers have done for us
We commit the sin Lord, of assuming that everything begins with us.
We drink from wells we did not find
We eat from farmland we did not develop
We enjoy freedoms we did not earn
We worship in churches we did not establish
This day make us grateful for our heritage.

Anon

FLOOR PLAQUE F

£ TBC

Pioneer
“to lead the way”
“Trailblazers”
“to set in motion”

From the French word
‘peonier’ or ‘pionnier’
meaning ‘foot soldier’.

“Great men have been among us; hands that penned and tongues that uttered wisdom.”

William Wordsworth 1770-1850

Stained Glass

£ TBC

Tall, thin stained glass windows made of assorted reds and oranges providing the impression of fire. These will be inserted in various places throughout the Cloud of Witnesses Monument.

Cloud of Witnesses Statues

A set of four wall reliefs representing four sets of martyrs.
The key figure emerges out of the panel with others featured in the relief.
Displayed around the Cloud of Witnesses monument among the rocks and columns.

“I worship and adore…”

£ TBC

Alban coming out of the relief with his fellow martyrs in the background.

Includes Alban’s words while being tortured “I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things.”

Depicts Alban, Amphibalus, Julius, and Aaron – the first known British Christian Martyrs.   Alban (c 300AD) was the first. He had been converted by a priest called Amphibalus.   Alban dressed himself as a priest to protect Amphibalus from Roman soldiers who dragged Alban away and murdered him.  Amphibalus continued his ministry converting many more including Julius and Aaron – all three were martyred for their faith in 304AD.

“We shall this day light such a candle…”

£ TBC

Ridley and Latimer tied back to back on a stake, firewood around their feet, little sacks of gunpowder around their neck. The back panel shows Thomas Cranmer bound and watching from the sidelines.  Also depicts their trial in the Divinity School in Oxford and displays the ‘candle’ quote.

Depicts the burning of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley – English Reformation martyrs.

King Henry VIII  and his heir King Edward had successfully broken England’s religious ties with Rome. When Queen Mary came to the throne she ruthlessly tried to reverse those decisions and return the nation to the Catholic cradle.   Three Protestant clergy – Thomas Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury), Nicholas Ridley (Bishop of London), and Hugh Latimer (Bishop of Worcester) – were put on a show trial in Oxford and condemned to death.  Ridley and Latimer were the first to be executed.  As they burned Latimer said to Ridley, “Be of good comfort, and play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”

“Hallowed by thy name…”

£ TBC

Front figure is widow Smith who was burnt alone. Back relief shows the six men and the children forced to testify against their parents by reciting the Lord’s Prayer in English.

Depicts six men, one woman: Robert Hatchets – shoemaker, Mistress smith – widow, Archer – shoemaker, Hawkins – shoemaker, Thomas Bond – shoemaker, wrigsham – glover, Landsdale – hosier all burnt at the stake in Coventry for teaching their children the Lord’s Prayer and 10 commandments in English.

“If God be on our Side…”

£ TBC

Front figure is William Tyndale at the stake. Back relief is him translating the bible on the left, and Joseph smith reading the English Bible on the right. and quotes.

William Tyndale fled to Belgium to continue his translation of the Bible into English. He was betrayed and burnt at the stake as a heretic. His dying words were “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.”   Shortly after king Henry VIII decreed that all churches should have an English Bible. His translation was so good that translators later used large chunks of his work directly into the King James version. He said “If God be on our side, what matter maketh it who be against us.”

Christus

By Bertel Thorvaldsen

£ TBC

STATUE of Christus or similar situated at the far end of the Martyr’s monument.

FRONT PLINTH: “I will not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands”  Isaiah 49:15-16

SIDE PLINTH:  “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: That He lives!” Joseph Smith

On the Isles of The Sea

We will be following the progress of this monument with photographic journals and videos, so make sure you sign up here for the free, monthly e-newsletter “On the Isles of the Sea” which explores the people, events and sites of LDS England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.