Fernhurst War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Fernhurst War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the church of St Margaret, 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 conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant and ornate Calvary in the medieval style;
* Group value: with the church of St Margaret (Grade II).

History

Fernhurst War Memorial was designed by Mr Philip Mainwaring Johnson FSA FRIBA (architect to Chichester Cathedral) and the plans were accepted at a public meeting in November 1919. The site was agreed in May 1920 and work commissioned in July 1920. The memorial cost £475 10s 9d which was raised through public subscription. It commemorates 41 local servicemen who died during the First World War.

Local ex-servicemen laid the foundations for the war memorial and the walls and levels were constructed by local builder Mr F Gale using local stone. The memorial work was executed by the Art Memorial Company of West Norwood and the sculptor was Mr Alfred Hitch. The dedication service was led by Reverend HR Bonsey on 14 August 1921 and the unveiling ceremony was performed by Colonel Hollist, whose son was among those commemorated.

Following the Second World War an inscription was added to commemorate those 13 who fell in that conflict. In 2015 a project was undertaken to conserve the memorial.

Details

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: Fernhurst War Memorial is located within the churchyard of the church of St Margaret (Grade II), to the south of the church. The Portland stone memorial consists of an ornately carved gabled Calvary on a tall octagonal shaft. The gable is crocketed and pinnacled and the cross head rises from a moulded collar. The figure of the Virgin Mary is carved on the rear of the Calvary cross. The shaft stands on an octagonal plinth and two-stepped base.

The south-east faces of the plinth bear an incised inscription which reads 1914/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN/ MEMORY OF THE MEN OF FERNHURST/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1919. The front faces of the two octagonal steps are inscribed with the 41 names of the fallen of the First World War. The north-west faces read INTO THY HANDS WE COMMEND/ THEM FOR THOU HAST REDEEMED/ THEM O LORD THOU GOD OF TRUTH.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial stands within a paved area and is surrounded to the rear by a concave wall with three steps leading up into the churchyard. On the wall is an associated stone plaque which commemorates the fallen of the Second World War. The tablet reads ALSO IN HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF FERNHURST WHO DIED/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945 (13 NAMES).


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/40123
War Memorials Online, accessed 05/12/2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/195155

Other
Farnham, Haslemere & Hindhead Herald with Alton Mail, 18 August 1921.

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