Malmesbury War Memorial
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1446261
- Date first listed:
- 18-May-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Malmesbury War Memorial
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1446261
- Date first listed:
- 18-May-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Malmesbury War Memorial
- Location Description:
- The Triangle, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 0AH.
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
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Malmesbury
- National Grid Reference:
- ST9307087407
Summary
A stone war memorial cross of 1921.
Reasons for Designation
Malmesbury 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;
* Architectural interest: a well-crafted cross design in dressed Portland, Blue Pennant and Hopton Wood stone;
* Degree of alteration: the structure is unaltered;
* Group value: on a prominent road junction surrounded by listed buildings.
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 Malmesbury as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The war memorial to the men of Malmesbury who fell in the First World War was unveiled and dedicated on 20 March 1921 at a ceremony attended by Lt Col LE Morrice and the Revd Dr Forrest Browne. It was designed by Henry Stafford de Bertodano of London as shown on his drawing of 4 February 1920. The war memorial is shown on the Ordnance Survey Map of 1921. The memorial was restored in 1988.
Details
A war memorial cross of 1921 date, designed by Henry Stafford de Bertodano and constructed by Messrs Webb & Son of Chippenham.
MATERIALS: of dressed Portland, Blue Pennant and Hopton Wood stone.
DESCRIPTION: a war memorial cross on a three-stepped square base surmounted by a square tapering plinth. The Celtic wheel cross is based on the cross of St Martin on the island of Iona. It has elaborate carved Celtic designs across the cross and shaft. The plinth has moulded relief panels inscribed on the N and S faces 1914 1919/ TO/ OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ (NAMES). The E and W faces are inscribed with names of the fallen.
The memorial stands at the centre of a road junction and its four corners are protected by painted bollards.*
* Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.
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/24204
War Memorials Online, accessed 6 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/186252
Other
Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser - Saturday 26 March 1921
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 12-Jun-2026 at 21:13:36.
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.