War Memorial at the Church of St Michael

Summary

First World War memorial. Erected 1920.

Reasons for Designation

The First World War Memorial at St Michael’s Church, Camden Town, of 1920, 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 sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: an elegant and well-crafted memorial formed of a crucifix set upon the foliage capital of a tapering shaft and an octagonal pedestal;
* Group value: with the Grade II* listed St Michael’s Church.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw a huge wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. One such memorial was erected in 1920 to commemorate residents of Camden who died during the conflict. The sculptor Clement William Jewitt, a former choirboy at St Michael’s Church, was selected to design the war memorial in April 1920. He was assisted by C J Marston. Jewitt also executed the war memorial outside Holy Cross Church, King's Cross, and St Michael's Church (now the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St Michael), Golders Green. He put forward two designs at Camden Town; one for a crucifix on the external west wall of the church, and another for a crucifix mounted on steps adjacent to the church. After discussion, the latter was chosen at a cost of £290. It was shown on the cover of the Parish Magazine in an effort to raise donations. A final appeal stated ‘we are sure that… as the years go on our Calvary…will appeal and fortify and console those who see it: and that in their inmost hearts they will bless those…in whose memory it was erected’. A dedication service was held on 3rd October 1920, which began with the hymn ‘When I survey the Wonderous Cross’, and included an address by the vicar, the unveiling of the memorial from beneath a Union Jack, a dedication, roll of honour and the sounding of the Last Post. Wreaths were laid at the memorial by the Lads’ Brigade, the Day School pupils, and the Girls’ Club.

Details

First World War memorial. Erected in 1920 to the design of Clement William Jewitt.

MATERIALS: carved from Lancaster Freestone.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands in the churchyard of St Michael’s Church. It is situated immediately south-west of the church and adjacent to Camden Road. The memorial comprises a crucifix set upon the foliage capital of a c.4m high tapering octagonal shaft with a moulded base. The top arm of the cross carries an elaborately carved canopy. At the centre of the shaft is an inscription quoting from the Jesus Prayer: JESU MERCY. The shaft rests upon an octagonal pedestal 0.8m high and two-tiered octagonal base 0.7m high. Encircling the base of the shaft is the inscription: GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. The pedestal carries eight panels upon which are inscribed, along with those on the base, 100 names of the Fallen. The upper tier of the base carries the inscription: ‘1914 FOR ENGLAND 1919’.

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, 9 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
Smith, E, St Michaels Camden Town: History, accessed 12 November 2015 from http://www.smct-history.com/st-michaels-1914-1918/
Smith, E, St Michaels Camden Town: Biographies of servicemen named on the memorial, accessed 12 November 2015 from http://www.smct-history.com/first-world-war-biographies-a-c/
War Memorials Register, accessed 9 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/11333
War Memorials Online, accessed 9 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/112257

Other
St Michael's Parish Magazine, November 1920

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