Staines War Memorial

Market Square, Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled on 19 December 1920, with further names added after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1440376
Date first listed:: 05-Dec-2016
List Entry Name:: Staines War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Market Square, Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1440376
Date first listed:: 05-Dec-2016
List Entry Name:: Staines War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Market Square, Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Market Square, Staines, Spelthorne, Surrey

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Surrey
District:: Spelthorne (District Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ0338671529

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled on 19 December 1920, with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Staines War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: a most striking design with an impressive composition of fine carved figures of Victory and four servicemen in uniform and other carved decorative details; * Group value: with 2 Clarence St, Staines Town Hall, and a pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks, all listed at Grade II, and the Blue Anchor Public House, listed at Grade II*.

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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Staines as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled on 19 December 1920 by Brigadier General Earl of Lucan.

Following the Second World War, an inscription dedicated to those who lost their lives in that war was added. The memorial was relocated in 2002 from the memorial gardens to the Market Square and in 2007 War Memorials Trust gave a grant for repairs.

Details

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located in the Market Square and it comprises a carved winged figure of Victory holding aloft a torch and a laurel wreath set upon an ornate pedestal with cornices at the top and base and embellished with carved scrolled ornament and other carved motifs. It surmounts a square double plinth with projecting spurs at each corner and, at each, is a figure of a serviceman. The figures are: a soldier in field kit with rifle; sailor in day rig with signal flags; airman in flying rig; and marine in field kit with rifle stand on the arms

The front face of the plinth carries the inscription in black lettering: TO/ OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ 1914 – 1918/ THIS WAR MEMORIAL IS ERECTED BY/ THE PEOPLE OF STAINES/ IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL HOMAGE TO/ THEIR FELLOW TOWNSMEN/ WHO ENDURED ALL AND GAVE ALL THAT/ HONOUR AND FREEDOM MIGHT PREVAIL/ THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD/ AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD/ AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM/ NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN/ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN/ AND IN THE MORNING/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. The other plinth faces carry the names of those who fell.

The lower plinth carries the inscription: 1939 1945/ IN MEMORIAM/ TO ALL THOSE KILLED AT/ HOME AND ABROAD/ THROUGH ENEMY ACTION/ THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE. Underneath an inclined tablet lists the names of those who fell in the Second World War.

The plinth is set upon an octagonal two-stepped base.

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, 21 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/100334
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 Sept 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23791

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.