Clapham Park War Memorial

Outside the Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Avenue, Clapham Park, London, SW4 9JU

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial in the form of a Calvary cross, unveiled 1921. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1441832
Date first listed:: 20-Mar-2017
List Entry Name:: Clapham Park War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Outside the Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Avenue, Clapham Park, London, SW4 9JU

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1441832
Date first listed:: 20-Mar-2017
List Entry Name:: Clapham Park War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Outside the Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Avenue, Clapham Park, London, SW4 9JU

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:: Outside the Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Avenue, Clapham Park, London, SW4 9JU

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

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: Lambeth (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ2930774502

Summary

First World War memorial in the form of a Calvary cross, unveiled 1921.

Reasons for Designation

Clapham Park 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 local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the First World War; * Design: as an imposing and dignified war memorial in the form of a Calvary cross; * Group value: with the Grade II-listed Church of the Holy Spirit.

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised in Clapham Park outside the Church of the Holy Spirit 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 was unveiled on 14 November 1921 in a ceremony attended by the Bishop Suffragan of Woolwich and Major General Sir Cuthbert Wallace.

Details

The memorial is located outside the Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Road and consists of a Calvary cross on a tapered octagonal shaft, which stands upon an octagonal plinth around which are two rows of Gothic-style inscriptions interspersed with symbolic decorations. The top row of the inscription reads IN EVER LIVING / MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF / THIS PARISH / WHO LAID DOWN / THEIR LIVES IN / THE WAR OF / MCMXIV XVIII the lower row reads MAY GOD / THE ALL MERCIFUL / GRANT TO THEM / AND TO ALL / WHO DIED FOR / THEIR COUNTRY / HIS LIGHT AND / EVERLASTING LIFE. The whole stands on an octagonal single-stepped base.

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, 23 November 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 23 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/253746
War Memorials Register, accessed 23 November 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/64238

Legal

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