Summary
A First World War memorial comprising a bronze sculpture of Major Geoffrey Brooke Parnell on a stone inscribed plinth, of 1922, designed by his sister the author and children's illustrator, Edith Farmiloe. The memorial commemorates her brother and those who fell from the 1st Battalion of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment on 15 July 2016 at High Wood during the Battle of the Somme.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial, a sculpture of Major Geoffrey Brooke Parnell on an inscribed plinth, of 1922, by Edith Farmiloe is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic Interest: as a piece designed as a personal and public memorial to commemorate the tragic impact of world events on the local community and the personal sacrifice made by Parnell, his officers and men who fell during the Battle of the Somme;
* Artistic Interest: as a well-composed memorial striking in its scale and form with subtle detailing, designed by the nationally known author and illustrator Edith Farmiloe and erected by local masons Messrs Moon and Son;
* Group Value: with Church of Holy Trinity (Grade I) and the other listed memorials within the churchyard including the Elkins family vault (Grade II) located adjacent to the Parnell War Memorial.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. The memorial to Major Geoffrey Brooke Parnell (1882-1916) was designed by his sister Edith Farmiloe as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by her brother, the officers, and men of the 1st Battalion of the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment who fell at High Wood on 15 July 1916 in the Battle of the Somme. Parnell is buried at Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, France. The memorial was erected by Messrs. Moon and Son Statuaries of Guildford, at Holy Trinity Church, Guildford in 1922. Major Parnell was well-known in Guildford having been stationed at Stoughton Barracks in Guildford for some years. He served in the South African War and was decorated with the Queen's medal with four clasps. The Queen's Regiment chapel is located at Holy Trinity Church.
The sculptor was the nationally important author and illustrator Edith Caroline Farmiloe (1870-1921) who was born in Gillingham, Kent and married the Reverend William D Farmiloe, Vicar of St Peter in Soho, London. She was a well-known children's book illustrator, and many of her drawings are displayed as prints in the Royal Academy of Art in London. Her illustrations appeared in many works including 'Little Citizens' in 1895; 'All the World Over' in 1898 and 'Rag, Tag and Bobtail' of 1899.
Details
A First World War memorial comprising a sculpture of Major Geoffrey Brooke Parnell on an inscribed plinth, of 1922, by Edith Farmiloe and erected by Messrs Moon and Son.
MATERIALS: the sculpture is constructed of bronze and the plinth is of stone.
DESCRIPTION: the sculpture, which stands upright upon a rectangular plinth with a chamfered single-stepped base, is of a winged figure dressed in robes representative of Parnell as a saint. The memorial faces W and is set close to a N-S aligned pathway at the W end of the churchyard of the Church of Holy Trinity.
The sculpture, which measures approximately 1.15m high and 0.6m wide, has a dignified composure and is striking in its form, contrasting well with the pale coloured stone plinth of 1.5m high and 0.7m wide. The figure stands proudly holding a drawn sword securely in its right hand, which rests upon the top of the plinth. Its left hand is clenched firmly by its side.
A single W-facing panel on the plinth is inscribed and reads IN LOVING AND/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF GEOFFREY BROOKE/ PARNELL. MAJOR 1ST/ BATTN THE QUEENS/ REGIMENT AND THE/ OFFICERS AND MEN OF/ THE BATTALION WHO/ FELL AT HIGH WOOD/ JULY 15TH 1916 IN THE/ BATTLE OF THE SOMME./ THIS/ MEMORIAL WAS DESIGNED/ ERECTED BY HIS SISTER/ EDITH FARMILOE.
This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 23 November 2017.
