Crofton Park (St Hilda's) War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Crofton Park (St Hilda's) 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 it made in the First World War;
* Architectural interest: as a dignified and imposing Cornish granite cross war memorial;
* Group value: with the Grade II-listed Church of St Hilda.

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 the country. 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 Church of St Hilda in Crofton Park as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. The memorial was unveiled on 29 May 1920 by General Sir Ian Hamilton GCB GCMG DSO and was dedicated by William Hough, Bishop Suffragan of Woolwich; also in attendance were a large crowd of church officials, families of the Fallen and local residents. Its designers were FH Greenway and JE Newberry and it was carved by the local stonemason Mr W Richards, at a cost of circa £350, paid for by local subscription. Upon unveiling the cross, General Hamilton proclaimed thus, “So I unveil this Celtic Cross, more glorious as a record of our race than marble Kings and Queens, or even than the Abbey that holds them.”

Details

Tall Celtic-style wheeled cross of Cornish granite, splaying onto a trapezoidal plinth; the front face bears the inscription: + TO THE GLORY OF / GOD AND IN LOVING / MEMORY OF THOSE FROM / THIS PARISH WHO HAVE / LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES / IN THE GREAT WAR / A.D. 1914 - 1919 / THEIR NAME LIVETH / FOR EVERMORE, with the other three faces bearing the names of the Fallen. This rests on another trapezoidal plinth section, each face bearing further names. The whole rests on a two-step base, the corners of the bottom step each having a raised square block.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 30 January 2018.

Sources

Websites
St Hilda's, Crofton Park - War Memorial, accessed 15/08/2017 from http://www.sainthildas.org/history/war-memorial/
Lewisham War Memorial - Brockley, St Hilda WW1 War Memorial, accessed 15/08/2017 from http://lewishamwarmemorials.wikidot.com/memorial:brockley-st-hilda-ww1-war-memorial
IWM - St Hilda's Church, accessed 15/08/2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/12130
War Memorials Online, accessed 30 January 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/229420

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