Worcester Park War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial.

Reasons for Designation

Worcester 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 a well-designed and imposing Calvary cross.

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 Worcester Park in the grounds of St Phillip's Church as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The church was demolished over the period 1978 - 1983 due to structural problems, though the war memorial and cemetery remained.

On 4 February 2011 the war memorial was severely damaged when it was accidentally hit by a truck. The memorial was restored later in the year and it continues to form the centrepiece for local Remembrance Day events.

Details

The memorial stands in the former Churchyard of St Philip on Cheam Common Road. The Calvary cross rises from a tapered octagonal shaft which stands on an octagonal plinth, atop a two-stepped base.

The front face of the plinth bears the inscription TO THE / GLORY OF GOD / AND IN / GRATEFUL MEMORY / OF / THE MEN OF THIS PARISH / WHO FELL / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 - 1919. / GRANT THEM ETERNAL / REST, O LORD. Three of the other faces of the plinth bear the names of the Fallen, including the name and occupation of a civilian casualty.

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 June 2017.

Sources

Websites
Former places of worship in the Diocese of Southwark, accessed 31 January 2017 from http://southwark.anglican.org/downloads/lostchurches/CHE01.pdf
The Worcester Park Blog, accessed 31 January 2017 from http://www.worcesterparkblog.org.uk/2011/02/war-memorial-damaged-destroyed.html#disqus_thread
Way Marking - Worcester Park War Memorial, accessed 31 January 2017 from http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMC1V9_Worcester_Park_War_Memorial_Worcester_Park_London_UK
War Memorials Register, accessed 5 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/39503
War Memorials Online, accessed 5 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/84994

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