Beacon Hill War Memorial

Churchyard of the Church of St Alban, Tilford Road, Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6RB

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Overview

First World War memorial, designed by Cecil Greenwood Hare and unveiled on 14 December 1919, with further names added after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1439174
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Beacon Hill War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St Alban, Tilford Road, Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6RB

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1439174
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Beacon Hill War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Church of St Alban, Tilford Road, Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6RB

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:: Churchyard of the Church of St Alban, Tilford Road, Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6RB

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

County:: Surrey
District:: Waverley (District Authority)
Parish:: Haslemere
National Grid Reference:: SU8800336827

Summary

First World War memorial, designed by Cecil Greenwood Hare and unveiled on 14 December 1919, with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Beacon Hill War Memorial 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: an ornate and striking Calvary cross with carved decorative details; * Designer: by Cecil Greenwood Hare who was known especially for his ecclesiastical work and a 1916 design for street shrines; * Group value: with the Church of St Alban (Grade II).

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.

Beacon Hill War Memorial was designed by Cecil Greenwood Hare (1875-1932) of Bodley and Hare, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Hare who specialised in ecclesiastical buildings and church interiors was a pupil of George Frederick Bodley (1827-1907) whom he joined as a partner in 1907. After Bodley's death, Hare continued to work in the Bodleian idiom. In 1916 the practice was commissioned by the London Evening News to produce a design for street shrines to the fallen for the poorer areas of London, the cost of each one executed to be financed from a fund established by the newspaper. In 1920 Hare designed the south chapel (a war memorial) and in 1932 the choir stalls for St Peter’s Church, Ealing. He was also responsible for the design of Castle Donington and Tutbury War Memorials (both listed at Grade II).

Beacon Hill memorial was sculpted by Mr Hitch of Vauxhall, London and it was unveiled and dedicated on 14 December 1919. It commemorates 29 local servicemen who fell during the First World War.

A further 21 names were added following the Second World War for the fallen from that conflict and the inscription was amended to include the words, two world wars.

In 2006 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid.

Details

MATERIALS: Doulting stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is a gabled crucifix with a carved figure of Christ on a tapered shaft. The gable is embellished with carved decorative detail and the cross carries the inscription INRI above the figure. The shaft rises from a square plinth which is set upon a two-stepped hexagonal base.

Names of the fallen are recorded on polished plaques set on the front and side faces of the plinth under the date: 1914 - 1918. On two sides of the plinth at the base is carved in ornate lettering: FOR THAT THE PEOPLE/ OFFERED THEMSELVES WILLINGLY.

An angled plaque fixed to the steps carries the dedicatory text which reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING/ MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ AND OTHERS WHO DIED FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY IN THE TWO WORLD WARS/ AND IN THANKSGIVING FOR THOSE WHO/ SERVED AND WERE KEPT SAFE THIS/ CROSS WAS ERECTED BY PARISHIONERS/ AND FRIENDS.

A polished plaque on the back of the plinth bears the inscription: 1939 - 1945/ NAMES. Further names are recorded on the side face of the plinth.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/82895
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/41690
War Memorials Trust, accessed 21 July 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=575

Legal

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