Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1928. Also commemorating later conflicts.
Reasons for Designation
Caversham War Memorial, which stands on Christchurch Meadows, Caversham, 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;
* Architectural interest: as a simple, elegant, memorial which is stylistically redolent of its inter-war date.
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.
Details
The memorial takes the form of an octagonal stone column, or obelisk, slightly elongated in section, set on an octagonal plinth with two steps at the base. The shorter pairs of sides on the main shaft become convex as they rise upwards and the shaft terminates in a fluted band. Above, the column steps in, its face is carved with a Latin cross in shallow relief, and terminates in a pyramidal cap. One face of the column is carved with the names of the 260 fallen of the First World War, with the inscription: 1914-1918 / TO THE GLORY / OF GOD.
End of official list entry
