Chobham War Memorial

High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8LZ

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Overview

First World War memorial, 1919, with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438598
Date first listed:: 05-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Chobham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8LZ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438598
Date first listed:: 05-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Chobham War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8LZ

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

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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:: High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8LZ

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

County:: Surrey
District:: Surrey Heath (District Authority)
Parish:: Chobham
National Grid Reference:: SU9741561910

Summary

First World War memorial, 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Chobham War Memorial, which stands on the High Street, 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 sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: a tall and well-proportioned memorial cross; * Group value: with a number of Grade II-listed buildings, including Cannon Cottage and Laurel Cottage.

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. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Chobham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was a gift from Miss Catherine Mary Percival, who lived at Chobham House and was the daughter of Reverend Henry Percival of Durham. Miss Percival offered to fund the memorial providing it was situated in a public place and would be accessible at all times. She commissioned the London Necropolis Company to erect the memorial, which was unveiled on 28 August 1919. Although Miss Percival attended the unveiling ceremony, being then 91 years old the memorial was unveiled on her behalf by Mr Francis Fulford.

The memorial commemorates 61 men from the parish who fell in the First World War. A dedication for those who fell in the Second World War was added at a later date. The names of the fallen do not appear on the memorial but are recorded on a plaque within the church. In 2015 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust; this included replacing the cross-head in matching Forest of Dean stone and repairs to the cross shaft.

The London Necropolis Company was also responsible for the war memorial crosses in Harlington (Bedfordshire) and Bisley (Surrey) and that at West End (Sunderland) (Grade II-listed).

Details

MATERIALS: Forest of Dean stone.

DESCRIPTION: Chobham War Memorial is situated on the corner of the High Street and Cannon Crescent, alongside the Chobham Cannon and surrounded by a number of Grade II-listed buildings. It consists of a stone cross, octagonal in section. The cross-head rises from a tapering octagonal shaft on a chamfered square plinth, which stands on a four-stepped, octagonal, base.

The front face of the plinth has an inscription to the First World War which reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND THE PRECIOUS MEMORY/ OF THOSE FROM AMONGST US/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR OF/ 1914 – 1918/ THEIR NAMES ARE RECORDED/ ON A TABLET IN THE CHURCH. Below this on the top step of the base is a later dedication to the fallen of the Second World War: ALSO OF THOSE WHO MADE/ THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE/ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945.

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, 15 March 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 15 March 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/159094
War Memorials Register, accessed 15/07/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23784
War Memorials Trust, Grants Showcase, accessed 10/08/2016 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1252

Legal

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

The listed building(s) is/are shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.