Havant War Memorial

Summary

War memorial, erected 1922, designed jointly by architects Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson Bart and Alfred Edwin Stallard.

Reasons for Designation

Havant War Memorial, erected in 1922 in memory of the Fallen of Havant from the First World War and later including those of the Second World War, 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 and Second World Wars, it is of strong historic and cultural significance both at a local and a national level;
* Design interest: it is an elegant monument executed in good quality materials.

History

Havant War Memorial stands at the cross roads in the centre of the town and was created as a memorial to the men of Havant who fell during the First World War. The memorial was built with funds raised by public subscription, designed jointly by architects Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson Bart, M.A. F.R.I.B.A. and Alfred Edwin Stallard F.S.I., and constructed by Henry G. Wilkins & Sons at the invitation of a committee established by the Bishop of Winchester that advised on parochial war memorials in the Diocese. The memorial was unveiled on Saturday, 30th September 1922 by Major-General Sir John Davidson, K.C.M.G., D.S.O., M.P., and was dedicated by the Rector of Havant – Reverend H.N. Rodgers, M.A., Hon. C.F. The names of the fallen were listed on bronze panels set into the screen wall. The names of those who fell during the Second World War were subsequently included on additional bronze panels.

Details

War memorial, erected 1922, designed jointly by architects Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson Bart, M.A. F.R.I.B.A. and Alfred Edwin Stallard F.S.I. The memorial stands within a semi-circular paved space enclosed to the rear by a screen wall that is set back into the north-east corner of the churchyard of St Faith’s Church; it faces out into the cross roads at the centre of Havant.

Constructed of light coloured limestone, it is approximately 6m tall and takes the form of a tapering octagonal column surmounted by a cross. The column is mounted on an engaged gothic-style plinth with carved quatrefoil panels, raised on an engaged gothic-style splayed base with carved paired lancet panels. The semi-circular screen wall has a shallow plinth and is constructed of knapped flint with limestone ashlar dressings, with knapped flint panels.

The wall is inscribed ‘REMEMBER THE MEN OF HAVANT WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY 1914-19’. ‘1939-45’ is also inscribed on the screen wall, to either side of the cross above the plinth. Both ends of the wall terminate in a buttress; the north-western buttress has an attached bronze panel. Eight bronze panels record the roll of honour of 103 men who died during the First World War and six secondary panels record the 50 men who died in the Second World War.


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, 6 December 2016.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 06/12/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/21378
War Memorials Online, accessed 06/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/102694

Other
Leaflet - The Havant War Memorial Cross, Ralph Cousins, Havant Borough Council ,
An advertisement bill sheet seeking subscription contributions towards the cost of the Havant War Memorial Cross.,
Programme of the service of unveiling and dedication of the memorial cross to the men of Havant, Saturday, September 30th, 1922.,

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