Kew War Memorial

Kew Green, London

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Kew war memorial, unveiled on 25 June 1921, located on Kew Green beside the church of St Anne (Grade II*). Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1425802
Date first listed:: 06-May-2015
List Entry Name:: Kew War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Kew Green, London

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1425802
Date first listed:: 06-May-2015
List Entry Name:: Kew War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Kew Green, London

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:: Kew Green, London

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

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: Richmond upon Thames (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ1901277453

Summary

Kew war memorial, unveiled on 25 June 1921, located on Kew Green beside the church of St Anne (Grade II*).

Reasons for Designation

Kew war memorial, unveiled on 25 June 1921, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Design: as an elegant and well-proportioned Portland Stone cross; * Group value: the memorial the memorial stands in a prominent position on Kew Green and has strong group value with the church of St Anne, listed Grade II*, and listed tombs in the churchyard and other listed buildings surrounding Kew Green. Adjacent is the Royal Botanic Gardens, a Grade I registered park and garden and World Heritage Site.

History

Kew war memorial originally commemorated 96 men of the parish of Kew who gave their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled on 25 June 1921 by Field Marshall Sir William R Robertson BART GCB GCMG KCVO DSO (1860-1933) who was, at the outbreak of the First World War, appointed Quartermaster General to the British Expeditionary Force. He was promoted to the rank of Field Marshall in 1920. The unveiling ceremony was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress, Professor and Mrs Loney; the Rev J V Macmillan, vicar of Kew; Rev Ogilvy; Rev Spink; aldermen; councillors and children from King’s School, Kew. The Kew troop of Boy Scouts formed a guard of honour. The ceremony included an address by Robertson in which he singled out the Kew Football Club as they had a special right to be proud of their record. Of 61 members, 59 had joined up to volunteer for war by September 1914 and the last two had joined by the end of the year.

A bronze plaque was later added to the memorial's plinth commemorating those of the parish who lost their lives in the Second World War as well as the First World War.

Details

The war memorial is located in a prominent position at the corner of Kew Green, next to the Church of St Anne (listed Grade II*), adjacent to Kew Road which leads down some 350m from the River Thames. The memorial stands about 5m high and comprises a Portland stone cross on an octagonal tapering shaft. It has an octagonal plinth and two-stepped base.

A bronze plaque is fixed to the south-facing plinth which reads: THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR/ EVERMORE/ THE NAMES OF THE MEN/ OF THIS PARISH WHO DIED FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY IN THE TWO WARS/1914-1918 AND 1939-1945/ ARE INSCRIBED IN THE ADJACENT/ CHURCH OF ST ANNE/ THIS IS THE MEMORIAL OF THEIR/ HONOUR AND OF THE GRATITUDE/ OF THE PEOPLE OF KEW.

The other faces of the plinth are plain. The names of those who died are recorded on the Lady Chapel Screen of the adjacent Church of St Anne. The modern railings around the memorial are not included in the listing.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 25 Feb 2015 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/85102
War Memorials Register, accessed 25 Feb 2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/39395
Other
Unveiling of the Kew Memorial, The RIchmond Herald, 2 July 1921

Legal

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