Seale War Memorial
Seale War Memorial, Elstead Road, Seale, Surrey, GU10 1HX
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1429561
- Date first listed:
- 30-Sept-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Seale War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Seale War Memorial, Elstead Road, Seale, Surrey, GU10 1HX
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
 |
Buildings |
 |
Scheduled monuments |
 |
Parks and gardens |
 |
Battlefields |
 |
Shipwrecks |
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1429561
- Date first listed:
- 30-Sept-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Seale War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Seale War Memorial, Elstead Road, Seale, Surrey, GU10 1HX
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:
- Seale War Memorial, Elstead Road, Seale, Surrey, GU10 1HX
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Surrey
- District:
- Guildford (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Seale and Sands
- National Grid Reference:
- SU8968947831
Summary
Seale War Memorial, erected in 1919.
Reasons for Designation
Seale War Memorial, erected in 1919, 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 stone floriated cross set on a plinth and base of contrasting stone with a later enclosure complete with inscribed seats;
* Group value: the memorial has group value with the Church of St Laurence (listed Grade II).
History
The memorial was erected in 1919 and originally commemorated those men of Seale who gave their lives in the First World War. It is set adjacent to the Church of St Laurence (listed Grade II).
The word ‘SEALE’ inscribed on the west face of the memorial appears to have once been deliberately chiselled out and may have been removed as a precaution to hide the name during the Second World War; this happened at nearby Shackleford War Memorial. Inscriptions on two seats in the memorial’s enclosure indicate that the enclosure was added in 1947 and was given by Lady Buckingham of Seale Lodge. An inscribed panel was added commemorating those who lost their lives in the Second World War.
Details
The war memorial stands in a prominent location on the main street through the village of Seale. It is c 4m high and comprises a small floriated cross on an octagonal shaft set on a plinth on a three-stage plinth. The upper part is of sandstone blocks with stone columns at each corner; the middle section is plain stone; the lower section is again built of sandstone blocks. The middle stone section is inscribed on three sides with the names and regiments of 24 men who lost their lives in the First World War. On the west face an inscription reads: THIS CROSS IS ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE/ OF SEALE TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND/ AS A MEMORIAL TO ALL THOSE WHO/ GAVE UP THEIR LIVES FOR ENGLAND/ IN THE GREAT WAR AND ESPECIALLY/ IN LOVING MEMORY OF THOSE CONNECTED/ WITH THIS PARISH WHOSE NAMES ARE/ INSCRIBED HERE-ON/ A.D. 1919.
The lower section has a panel fixed to its west face inscribed with 1939-1945 and the names of nine men who lost their lives in the Second World War below.
The plinth stands on a four-stepped stone base; the top step is inscribed on its west face with: IN HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
The memorial stands in a paved stone rectangular enclosure open on one side where it is accessed by one step. The enclosure is formed of a low stone wall with a stone coping. Integral to the enclosure are two curved stone cornerseats. The northernmost seat back is inscribed: TO THE LIVING MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO DIED AND FOUGHT/ FOR ALL OF US TO SAVE/ OUR PRECIOUS LAND/ 1939-1945. The southernmost seat back is inscribed: THIS WALL WAS GIVEN BY/ LADY BUCKINGHAM OF SEALE LODGE/ AND UNVEILED BY HER/ ON REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 1947.
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, 5 December 2016.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 05/12/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23413
War Memorials Online, accessed 05/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/100706
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 23-Jun-2026 at 02:10:27.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.