Summary
First World War memorial in the form of a tall stone cross on a plinth, with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
New Malden (URC) 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 conflicts of the C20;
* Design: as an attractive and imposing stone cross war memorial.
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 at the Congregational Church in New Malden, which became the United Reformed Church (URC) in 1972, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
Details
The war memorial is located in the grounds of the New Malden United Reformed Church on Malden Road. The angular-style cross, circled by a laurel wreath, rises from a slightly tapering shaft set on a plinth, square on plan, which stands on a single-stepped base.
End of official list entry
