Shawford Down War Memorial

Shawford Down, Shawford, Hampshire, SO21 2BY

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Overview

First World War memorial unveiled on 4 April 1921 with further names added after the Second World War.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1437813
Date first listed:
14-Sept-2016
List Entry Name:
Shawford Down War Memorial
Statutory Address:
Shawford Down, Shawford, Hampshire, SO21 2BY
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1437813
Date first listed:
14-Sept-2016
List Entry Name:
Shawford Down War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:
Shawford Down, Shawford, Hampshire, SO21 2BY

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
Shawford Down, Shawford, Hampshire, SO21 2BY

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Hampshire
District:
Winchester (District Authority)
Parish:
Compton and Shawford
National Grid Reference:
SU4703924917

Summary

First World War memorial unveiled on 4 April 1921 with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Shawford Down War Memorial, unveiled 4 April 1921, 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;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet dignified memorial cross in Portland stone.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was dedicated at Shawford Down by the Bishop of Winchester on 4 April 1921 as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates 17 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the 14 fallen of that conflict.

In 2014 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Details

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: Shawford Down War Memorial comprises a double-headed Latin cross with four arms so that the cross can be viewed from all directions. The cross rises from a square plan plinth.

The inscription on the plinth reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF ALL THE MEN OF THE/ EMPIRE AND ESPECIALLY OF THOSE/ FROM THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ THEY SOUGHT THE GLORY/ OF THEIR COUNTRY, THEY/ SEE THE GLORY OF GOD. The other faces of the plinth are incised with the names of the fallen.

The plinth is set upon a two-stepped base with an inscription to the fallen of the Second World War on the top step which reads: RE-DEDICATED TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE ENGRAVED ON THIS STEP/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE. The other faces of the step are incised with the names of the fallen from the Second World War.

Sources

Websites
Shawford Down War Memorial, accessed 10 July 2016 from https://comptonshawford-pc.gov.uk/2014/04/war-memorial-clean/
War Memorials Trust, accessed 12 July 2016 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1042
War Memorials Online, accessed 12 July 2016 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/248969/
War Memorials Register, accessed 12 July 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/21925

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Shawford Down War Memorial

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jul-2026 at 09:08:28.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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