War memorial in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Dover
The Churchyard, St Mary's Church, Cannon Street, Dover, Kent, CT16 1BU
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1432571
- Date first listed:
- 05-Feb-2016
- List Entry Name:
- War memorial in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Dover
- Statutory Address:
- The Churchyard, St Mary's Church, Cannon Street, Dover, Kent, CT16 1BU
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1432571
- Date first listed:
- 05-Feb-2016
- List Entry Name:
- War memorial in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Dover
- Statutory Address 1:
- The Churchyard, St Mary's Church, Cannon Street, Dover, Kent, CT16 1BU
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:
- The Churchyard, St Mary's Church, Cannon Street, Dover, Kent, CT16 1BU
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Kent
- District:
- Dover (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Dover
- National Grid Reference:
- TR3189241537
Summary
First World War memorial, 1921.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial in the churchyard of the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, Dover, 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 local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the First World War;
* Architectural interest: a tall and imposing memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin.
History
The churchyard cross, commemorating those parishioners and members of the congregation of Dover’s parish church of St Mary the Virgin who died in the First World War, was unveiled on 24 November 1921 by Lt-Col CM Davidson, and dedicated by the Bishop of Dover.
Details
The memorial is similar in form to the Blomfield Cross of Sacrifice. The differences are subtle. The tall stone cross, with an octagonal shaft and arms, stands to the north-west of the Grade II*-listed parish church of St Mary the Virgin in central Dover. The front face of the cross head is decorated with the letters IHS, intertwined. The moulded foot of the shaft stands on an octagonal plinth. That stands on two low, octagonal, steps. The whole is raised on a low square base.
Five faces of the plinth carry bronze plaques. The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face reads TO THE GLORY/ OF/ GOD/ AND IN AFFECTIONATE/ MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF ST MARY’S PARISH AND/ CONGREGATION WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR GOD, KING AND/ COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-1918. The other four plaques, two either side of the front face and alternating large and small, bear the commemorated names. The 170 names are listed in no particular order.
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.
Sources
Websites
The Dover War Memorial Project, accessed 04/01/2016 from http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/Casualties/MoreMemorials/Churches/StMarys/StMarys.htm
War Memorial Register, accessed 30 November 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/48160
War Memorials Online, accessed 30 November 2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/135318
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 11-Jun-2026 at 14:33:32.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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