Salisbury War Memorial and railings

War Memorial, Market Place, Salisbury, Wiltshire

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Overview

First World War memorial by Messrs H H Martyn & Company Ltd, unveiled on 12 February 1922, with later inscriptions commemorating those who served during the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1400920
Date first listed:: 08-Jun-2011
List Entry Name:: Salisbury War Memorial and railings
Statutory Address:: War Memorial, Market Place, Salisbury, Wiltshire

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1400920
Date first listed:: 08-Jun-2011
List Entry Name:: Salisbury War Memorial and railings
Location Description:: Market Place, Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Statutory Address 1:: War Memorial, Market Place, Salisbury, Wiltshire

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:: War Memorial, Market Place, Salisbury, Wiltshire

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

District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Salisbury
National Grid Reference:: SU1448830028

Summary

First World War memorial by Messrs H H Martyn & Company Ltd, unveiled on 12 February 1922, with later inscriptions commemorating those who served during the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial in the Market Place, Salisbury, designed by H H Martyn and Company and erected in 1922, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest: as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by this community in the First World War, it is of strong historic and cultural significance both at a local and a national level Artistic interest: the bronze sculpture is a powerful and expressive piece of work. Design quality: in contrast to the standard war memorial design, the Salisbury memorial is a striking and expressive work in a horizontal form, incorporating the carved figure of a lion and the symbols of war Group value: it has strong group value with the adjacent Grade II* listed Guildhall with which it is aligned, and with other listed buildings in the Market Place. It adds considerably to the urban texture at the centre of the city

History

The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War. Salisbury war memorial was unveiled by Lieutenant T E Adlam VC at a dedication ceremony on 12 February 1922, conducted by the Reverend W R F Addison VC, a World War One chaplain. The memorial was designed and constructed by Messrs H H Martyn & Company of Cheltenham, a company specialising in the design and production of sculptures and ecclesiastical furnishings, including the fittings for several Cunard ships and the oak South Africa war memorial, Eton Memorial Library, Eton (1908). In the aftermath of the First World War the firm also designed or contributed to the design of a number of war memorials such as those at Walsall, West Midlands; Victoria Park, Smethwick, West Midlands; Norton in Suffolk; and in Hartlepool.

The memorial in Salisbury stands in the Market Square, in front of (north) the Grade II* listed Guildhall with which it is aligned. Its location outside this important civic building is likely to have been a conscious decision when planning the war memorial. Inscriptions honouring those who served during the Second World War were added later.

Details

MATERIALS: constructed of Portland stone, and embellished with bronze and marble. PLAN: the memorial stands in a prominent location in front of the Guildhall (Grade II*) and has a curved plan DESCRIPTION: it comprises a low, curved screen wall of Portland stone blocks surmounted by a bronze sculpture depicting a lion together with a helmet, sword, rifle, cannon and regimental colours with wreaths of victory. The curved north face of the memorial carries six bronze panels recording the names of 460 local men who lost their lives during the First World War. At the centre is a decorative arched pediment with dedicatory marble plaques and a carved relief of the city's coat of arms. The upper plaque is inscribed: ' IN HONOUR / AND REMEMBRANCE / OF THE CITIZENS OF / SALISBURY / WHO SERVED / WHO FOUGHT WHO DIED / FOR FREEDOM HOME / AND HUMANITY / 1914-1919. The lower panel was added after the Second World War and reads: 'FOR YOUR TOMORROW / WE GAVE OUR TODAY / WE HONOUR ALL THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN THE SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY IN THE / SECOND WORLD WAR AND ALL CONFLICTS SINCE / WE WILL REMEMBER THEM'. At either end of the memorial wall are lanterns with bronze latticework standards.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: to the front (north) and sides of the memorial are ornate bronze railings with central gates to the front.

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, 16 December 2016.

Sources

Books and journals
Casson, H, The Best. H H Martyn And Co, (1985)
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 16/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/120454
War Memorials Register, accessed 03/06/2011 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/2112

Legal

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