Chilworth (St Martha) War Memorial

Dorking Road, Chilworth, Surrey

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1448322
Date first listed:: 26-Jul-2017
List Entry Name:: Chilworth (St Martha) War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Dorking Road, Chilworth, Surrey

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1448322
Date first listed:: 26-Jul-2017
List Entry Name:: Chilworth (St Martha) War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Dorking Road, Chilworth, Surrey

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Dorking Road, Chilworth, Surrey

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Surrey
District:: Guildford (District Authority)
Parish:: St. Martha
National Grid Reference:: TQ0329447336

Summary

First World War memorial.

Reasons for Designation

Chilworth (St Martha) war memorial, which is situated within a small landscaped area at the eastern end of Chilworth village along Dorking Road, 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 during the First World War;

Architectural interest: * A simple yet dignified Latin cross memorial influenced by Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice.

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 Chilworth as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by six members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was presumably erected not long after the end of the war and was originally sited off Dorking Road toward the eastern boundary of Chilworth village. The memorial was moved slightly further west along Dorking Road in 1975 due to a road widening scheme.

The memorial has received grants from the War Memorials Trust, both in 2001 and 2014, to aid its conservation and repair. In 2014 the grant funding went towards the replacement of the base of the memorial as the steps were showing signs of deterioration. The replacement base followed the same form as the original and the inscription on the upper step was re-cut into the new stone in the same font and style as before.

Details

First World War memorial.

MATERIALS: stone, bronze.

DETAILS: Chilworth War Memorial is situated within a small landscaped area at the eastern end of Chilworth village, along Dorking Road.

The memorial takes the form of a stone Latin cross rising from a square plinth with a chamfered top and moulded foot, surmounting a three-stepped octagonal base. An inverted bronze sword is attached to the front of the cross in a similar style to the Blomfield Cross of Sacrifice. Bronze plaques are affixed to three sides of the plinth carrying the principal inscription on one plaque and the six names on the remaining two. The inscription is to the front face in relief lettering, and reads: IN GRATITUDE TO/ ALMIGHTY GOD/ FOR THE GLORIOUS MEMORY/ OF THOSE WHO GOING FORTH / FROM THIS PARISH OF SAINT/ MARTHA GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. Below, incised into the upper step of the base are the words: HOLD SUCH/ IN/ HONOUR.

The memorial stands on a square, paved area enclosed by a shrub border. A path leads up to the memorial from the road.

Sources

Websites
‘Chilworth Village’, They Gave Their Today, accessed 16 June 2017 from http://www.theygavetheirtoday.com/chilworth.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 16 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/83976
War Memorials Register, accessed 16 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23226
War Memorials Trust, accessed 16 June 2017 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=321
Other
OS Map 1:2500 (1935 edn)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.