War Memorial at Dulwich Old College
WAR MEMORIAL AT DULWICH OLD COLLEGE, COLLEGE ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1393811
- Date first listed:
- 19-May-2010
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial at Dulwich Old College
- Statutory Address:
- WAR MEMORIAL AT DULWICH OLD COLLEGE, COLLEGE ROAD
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1393811
- Date first listed:
- 19-May-2010
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial at Dulwich Old College
- Statutory Address 1:
- WAR MEMORIAL AT DULWICH OLD COLLEGE, COLLEGE ROAD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- WAR MEMORIAL AT DULWICH OLD COLLEGE, COLLEGE ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Southwark (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 33114 73714
Reasons for Designation
The War Memorial at Dulwich Old College, College Road in Dulwich is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural Interest: a good example of a memorial to The Fallen of the First World War; designed by the eminent architect, William Douglas Caröe; * Historic Significance: the monument has very strong historic and cultural significance, on both a local and national scale; * Group Value: the War Memorial has a strong visual and contextual relationship with a number of listed buildings at Dulwich Old College.
Details
636/0/10179 COLLEGE ROAD
19-MAY-10 Dulwich
War memorial at Dulwich Old College
GV II
First World War memorial, designed by William Douglas Caröe.
DESCRIPTION: The War Memorial, of Hoptonwood Stone, comprises a diamond entablature featuring Christ the King (on both the northern and southern sides), on a tall tapering shaft raised on a square pedestal and stepped octagonal four-tier plinth. The square pedestal has panel motifs on each side: those to the east and west are floral in design, whereas the southern one, facing the door of the chapel, is designed as a two-pane trefoil-headed window, with decorated pediment. The panel to the north illustrates the College Shield (part of the Coat of Arms - a shield with a chevron (bent bar) dividing three cinquefoils gules (red five pointed stars) with 'DETUR GLORIA / SOLI DEO', 'Let glory be given to God alone' the College Motto, inscribed above it.
The bottom three tiers of the plinth are undecorated. However, the top tier is inscribed with dedicatory lines. Encircling the top of the plinth, starting at the north-west corner, with raised letters, the inscription reads: 'IN HONOUR OF THE MEN / OF THIS FOUNDATION WHO / SERVED IN THE GREAT / WAR 1914-1919 AND IN / SOLEMN REMEMBRANCE / OF THOSE WHO DIED FOR / LIBERTY AND JUSTICE TO / THE GLORY OF GOD'. Below the inscription is a band of square floral and geometric motifs.
The War Memorial has a visual and contextual relationship with Dulwich Old College (Grade II) and the entrance gates and piers of Dulwich Old College (Grade II).
HISTORY: Dulwich College was founded by Edward Alleyn in 1619. The original college buildings at Dulwich Old College date from the C17, although they were extensively remodelled in the C19; in 1857 the old foundation was reformed, and new buildings were erected for the school approximately half a mile to the south by the younger Charles Barry in 1866-70.
The war memorial in the forecourt of the Old Dulwich College was designed by William Douglas Caröe (1857-1938) and dedicated to the memory of 'Old Alleynians' and 'Alleyn Old Boys' who fell in the First World War. It dates from 1921. In addition, a memorial in the form of oak panelling by Mr Lawrence Turner and inscribed with the names of The Fallen was erected in 1920 on the south wall of Christ's Chapel (listed as part of Dulwich Old College at Grade II) beneath the gallery. There is a separate war memorial at the new Dulwich College buildings.
SOURCES:
Foster, RS, Christ's Chapel of Alleyn's College of God's Gift at Dulwich, a short history (1956)
Freeman JM, W.D. Caröe: His Architectural Achievement (1990), 224.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
The War Memorial at Dulwich Old College, College Road in Dulwich is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural Interest: a good example of a memorial to The Fallen of the First World War; designed by the eminent architect, William Douglas Caröe;
* Historic Significance: the monument has very strong historic and cultural significance, on both a local and national scale;
* Group Value: the War Memorial has a strong visual and contextual relationship with a number of listed buildings at Dulwich Old College.
This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 27 February 2018.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 508023
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 17 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/247677
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/72467
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 12:25:57.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.