Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) War Memorial

Churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, St Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 4HZ

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

Overview

Stone cross war memorial situated in the grounds of the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary the Virgin. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1450153
Date first listed:: 06-Nov-2017
List Entry Name:: Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, St Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 4HZ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1450153
Date first listed:: 06-Nov-2017
List Entry Name:: Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, St Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 4HZ

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:: Churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, St Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 4HZ

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

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: Southwark (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ3515879822

Summary

Stone cross war memorial situated in the grounds of the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary the Virgin.

Reasons for Designation

Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: as a dignified and imposing stone cross war memorial; * Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary the Virgin, Grade II-listed Monument to Prince Lee Boo in the churchyard, and the Grade II-listed Hope Sufferance Wharf opposite.

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 the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Rotherhithe 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 memorial inscription was later amended to honour the Fallen of the Second World War.

Details

Tall stone cross atop a splayed plinth. The front face of the plinth formerly bore an inscription, however this has now faded almost completely; according to sources it read ERECTED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF ROTHERHITHE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WARS/ 1914-1918/ 1939-1945. The memorial rests on a stepped stone base.

Sources

Websites
IWM - Rotherhithe - WW1 and WW2 Cross, accessed 24 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/53123
London Remembers - Rotherhithe War Memorial, accessed 25 September 2017 from https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/rotherhithe-war-memorial
War Memorials Online - Rotherhithe St Mary, accessed 25 September 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/141348

Legal

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