War Memorial
War Memorial, ORSETT 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:
- 1401269
- Date first listed:
- 03-Aug-2011
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- War Memorial, ORSETT ROAD
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1401269
- Date first listed:
- 03-Aug-2011
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- War Memorial, ORSETT 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, ORSETT ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Thurrock (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ6142178043
Summary
A war memorial, designed by A. Cox and unveiled on March 6th 1921.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial at Grays, commemorating the fallen of both World Wars and the Korean conflict, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons.
* Architecture: The architectural detailing to the column, urn and metal fittings are unusual and well-executed.
* Historic: The memorial has considerable historic interest both to the local community and from a national perspective, commemorating the community’s link with international events and the poignant cost of such involvement.
History
The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War. The war memorial at Grays was designed by A. Cox, built by Marshall and Wilson, a local Grays firm, and unveiled on 6th March 1921. Located in a prominent townscape position, at the north end of the High Street opposite the Magistrates Court, the memorial was constructed to commemorate those residents of the town who were killed in the First World War, but the names of those who perished in the Second World War and Korean conflict have been added to the memorial also.
Details
Materials:
Portland stone memorial on a concrete base surrounded by a low metal railing.
Exterior:
The memorial comprises a tapering stone column of approximately 10m on a double stone plinth, resting on a concrete base. At the top of the column is a stone urn, decorated with swags, on a pedestal with a plain die and a moulded torus and plinth. At the base of the column are copper plaques on each elevation. Those to the east and west are inscribed with the names of the dead. That to the south bears the inscription:
‘THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED IN THE / YEAR 1920 BY THE GRATEFUL INHABITANTS / OF GRAYS TO THE IMMORTAL MEMORY / OF THEIR BRAVE FELLOW-TOWNSMEN WHO / ANSWERING THE CALL OF DUTY LEFT HOME / AND KINDRED IN ORDER TO DEFEND THE / EMPIRE AND THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE AND / ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE / INSCRIBED ON THESE TABLETS, WHO LOST / THEIR LIVES WHILST SERVING IN THE / ARMED FORCES OF THE CROWN OR IN / THE MERCANTILE MARINE DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918.
Inscribed in italics beneath are the words: "ON FAME'S ETERNAL CAMPING GROUND/ THEIR SILENT TENTS ARE SPREAD/ AND GLORY GUARDS WITH SOLEMN ROUND/ THIS BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD"
Above the plaque on the south side is the date 1939-45 carved on the column with a copper wreath in relief above. Beneath the main plaque on the west side, additional plaques to commemorate those who died in the Second World War and Korean War have been added.
Carved on the west side of the column are the following battle names: MONS/ YPRES/ SOMME/ AISNE/ ITALY/ GALLIPOLI/ MESOPOTAMIA/, and on the east: KUT/ GAZA/ SALONIKA/ JERUSALEM/ JUTLAND/ ZEEBRUGGE/ FALKLAND ISLANDS/.
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, 12 January 2017.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 12 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/45800
War Memorials Online, accessed 12 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/189944
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 18:33:06.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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