Shoreham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Shoreham War Memorial, situated by the River Darenth on Darenth Way in Shoreham, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic Interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Historic association: the memorial was placed with direct line of sight to Shoreham Cross, cut in the nearby hillside as a war memorial in May 1920;
* Group value: with the Bridge over the River Darenth and Bridge Cottage (both Grade II-listed).

History

The memorial stone was constructed during the summer of 1921, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice of those from the parish who died during the First World War. It is the marker of, and bears the inscriptions for, the Shoreham Cross, which is cut into the chalk hillside approximately 650m to the north-west (NHLE reference 1474978). The cross was started in May 1920 as a war memorial on land donated by local landowner Francis Bingham Mildmay (later Lord Mildmay). The location for the stone, beside the River Darent, was chosen for the view that it affords of the hillside.
 
The architect was John Oliver Brook Hitch MC ARIBA, and the memorial stone was executed by Nine Elms Stone Masonry Works Ltd. Hitch was also responsible for the Animals War Memorial Dispensary in Kilburn (Grade II-listed). The inscriptions had been re-cut in 1979, but those inscribed on the plinth were covered by bronze plaques in 2000. The flower troughs were added between 1996-97. In 2010 nearby bushes were cut back to restore the line of sight between the memorial stone and the Shoreham Cross.

Details

The memorial stands on a square, stepped promontory extending into the River Darenth, next to the Bridge and close to Bridge Cottage (both Grade II-listed). Approximately 3.5m tall, it comprises a stone monolith set on a square plinth. This rises from a square rag-stone base with flower troughs set in each corner. The upper step of the promontory is surrounded by seven low bollards, which formerly carried a chain around the memorial.

The incised inscription on the front face of the monolith reads 'SHOREHAM/ KENT/ REMEMBER/ AS YOU LOOK/ AT/ THE CROSS/ ON THE HILL/ THOSE/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY/ 1914-1919.' A bronze plaque on the front face of the plinth lists the names of 32 men who fell in the First World War. A bronze plaque on the right-hand side of the plinth reads '1939 [cross]1945 (12 NAMES)/ GIVE PEACE IN OUR TIME, O LORD.' On the left-hand side of the plinth a bronze plaque reads 'THOSE WHO WERE KILLED IN AIR RAIDS/ 1939 [cross] 1945/ (8 NAMES)/ GIVE PEACE IN OUR TIME, O LORD.'


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.
This list entry was subject to a Minor Enhancement on 18 November 2021 to amend the description.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 30/11/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/40497
War Memorials Trust, Grants Showcase - Shoreham, accessed 27/05/2015 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=793
War Memorials Online, accessed 30/11/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/84051

Other
Shoreham War Memorial Committee Minutes dated 14 July 1921, by The Revd Henry David Madge

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