War Memorial at St Silas Church
Churchyard of St Silas Church, Penton Street, London, N1 9UL
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1431874
- Date first listed:
- 05-Jan-2016
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial at St Silas Church
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of St Silas Church, Penton Street, London, N1 9UL
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1431874
- Date first listed:
- 05-Jan-2016
- List Entry Name:
- War Memorial at St Silas Church
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of St Silas Church, Penton Street, London, N1 9UL
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:
- Churchyard of St Silas Church, Penton Street, London, N1 9UL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Islington (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ3107083306
Summary
First World War memorial. Erected 1917.
Reasons for Designation
The First World War Memorial at St Silas Church, Pentonville, erected in 1917 to the design of Arthur Walker, 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: a well-crafted memorial formed of a crucifix set upon the capital of a tapering octagonal shaft and a square plinth;
* Group value: with the Grade II listed St Silas 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 1917 to commemorate residents of Pentonville, Islington who died during the conflict. The sculptor was Arthur Walker, who also created the statue of Florence Nightingale on The Guards Crimean War Memorial, Wellington Place, London.
Details
First World War memorial. Erected in 1917 to the design of Arthur Walker.
MATERIALS: limestone and timber.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands within the grounds of St Silas Church. It is situated immediately east of the chancel of the church. The memorial comprises a crucifix under a timber gable, set upon the capital of a tapering octagonal shaft with a moulded base, together c3.5m high. At the centre of the cross is a carved limestone scroll bearing the letters: IN/ RI; Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews). The shaft rests upon a square plinth 0.8m high and a two-tiered square base 0.3m high. On the west face of the plinth is the following inscription in incised lettering: TO THE GREATER GLORY OF/ GOD/ AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ OUR BROTHERS/ WHO DIED FOR/ ENGLAND HOME & DUTY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914. The east face is inscribed in raised lettering: LEST WE FORGET.
This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 16 February 2017.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 1 November 2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/39131
St Silas Church, accessed 10 November 2015 from http://www.saint-silas.org.uk/contact.asp
War Memorials Online, accessed 16 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/188491
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 25-Jun-2026 at 19:45:12.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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