War Memorial in the churchyard of St Alban's Church
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1422533
- Date first listed:
- 14-Nov-2014
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial in the churchyard of St Alban's Church
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1422533
- Date first listed:
- 14-Nov-2014
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial in the churchyard of St Alban's Church
- Location Description:
- North-west corner of St Alban's Churchyard, St Alban's Church, St Alban's Road, Dartford
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
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Kent
- District:
- Dartford (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ5492874105
Summary
War memorial. Erected in 1920 by Messrs G Maile and Son Ltd.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial in the church yard of St Alban's, Dartford, unveiled in 1920, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: as a sombre and dignified memorial, relatively unusual for a parish memorial in not bearing the names of the fallen.
History
The memorial, the first to commemorate the fallen of the First World War in Dartford, was designed by Messrs G Maile and Son Ltd of 357 and 367 Euston Road, London, a company specialising in granite funerary monuments and which erected a large number of war memorials throughout the country. It was unveiled on 8 December 1920 by HRH The Duke of York. The inscription was subsequently altered to commemorate the Second World War. Originally located on the south side of the church, it was moved to the north-east corner in the late C20.
It was relatively unusual for a parish memorial not to bear the names of the fallen, perhaps in this case for reasons of cost or a wish to respond quickly, since the later town memorial bears around 350 names.
Details
Located at the north-west corner of the church at the junction of St Alban's and Colney Roads, the memorial is in the form of a rough-hewn Celtic cross. It is made of grey Cornish granite, with a curved, boulder-like, plinth standing on a square, two stage base. The lower stage is of Portland stone and is a later addition. The front face of the cross bears a Sword of Sacrifice in relief. The front face of the plinth bears the following inscription: ‘THE/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD/ IN GRATEFUL AND LOVING/ MEMORY OF THE MEN/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WARS/ 1914-1919 1939-1945’.
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, 30 November 2016.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 30/11/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/1479
War Memorials Online, accessed 30/11/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/160583
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 22-Jun-2026 at 19:17:24.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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