Barnes War Memorial
St Mary's Church, Church Road, Barnes, Surrey, SW13 9HL
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1445501
- Date first listed:
- 05-Apr-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Barnes War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- St Mary's Church, Church Road, Barnes, Surrey, SW13 9HL
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1445501
- Date first listed:
- 05-Apr-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Barnes War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- St Mary's Church, Church Road, Barnes, Surrey, SW13 9HL
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- St Mary's Church, Church Road, Barnes, Surrey, SW13 9HL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Richmond upon Thames (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ2221576558
Summary
War memorial in the form a gabled cross on a multi-tiered plinth.
Reasons for Designation
Barnes 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 the local community, and the sacrifices they made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: as an attractive and imposing gabled cross war memorial;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed St Mary's Church.
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.
One such memorial was raised in Barnes at St Mary's Church as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. It was unveiled on 19 June 1921 in a ceremony attended by FM Sir John French (later Earl of Ypres). An additional inscription was added after the Second World War.
Details
Tall octagonal stone shaft surmounted by a decorated gable, with sculpture of Christ. This rests on a plinth, each face of which bears a decorated shield hanging from a flower, representing the Instruments of the Passion. They are - front: the Crown of Thorns, with crossing Holy Sponge and Holy Lance; right: the hammer and tongs used to nail Christ to cross, with dice representing the casting of lots for Jesus's robes; back: the Cross; and left: the pillar and whips, representing the Flagellation of Christ. This rests on a two-step plinth, the front faces of which bears inscriptions - top: "1914 1919 and 1939 1945", and bottom: "Our Glorious Dead". This rests on a platform which overhangs a two-step base, the bottom splaying onto an area of paving. The front face of the base bears the inscription: "Whose names are inscribed within the church / on the [??] south aisle. 1914 - 1919".
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, 6 June 2017.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 6 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/39391
War Memorials Online, accessed 6 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/170756
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 02:04:26.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.