Fordham war memorial
Moat Road, Fordham, Colchester, Essex, CO6 3LU
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1452952
- Date first listed:
- 31-Jan-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Fordham war memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Moat Road, Fordham, Colchester, Essex, CO6 3LU
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1452952
- Date first listed:
- 31-Jan-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Fordham war memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Moat Road, Fordham, Colchester, Essex, CO6 3LU
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:
- Moat Road, Fordham, Colchester, Essex, CO6 3LU
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Essex
- District:
- Colchester (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Fordham
- National Grid Reference:
- TL9287028651
Summary
A First World War memorial, built in 1919; with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Fordham 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 made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* For its design, a well-executed stone memorial.
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 750,000 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 Fordham, 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 was set up at a prominent road junction at the heart of the village. It commemorates the 18 local servicemen who fell in the First World War, and was unveiled on 12 October 1919 by Brigadier General F W Towsey. It was sculpted by Messrs L J Watts Ltd, and constructed by local man F W Clampin on land donated by George Playle.
The names of four local servicemen who fell in the Second World War were added following this conflict.
The memorial was originally in the form of a clock tower. However, the clock was subsequently replaced with a stone panel with a carved cross at its centre. In 2017, a plaque was added to the plinth with the names of the lost servicemen who had not previously been recognised on the memorial.
Details
MATERIALS: limestone, on a brick plinth.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is a classical composition. The painted brick plinth rises just above the height of the flanking wall of brick and flint, and tapers at the top to meet the middle section, which has corner pilasters with moulded feet and capitals, with a plain, inscribed panel between. This is topped by a cornice on which stands the uppermost element, a smaller version of the lower section with similar but shorter and narrower pilasters, and a triangular pediment topped with a carved dove finial. The front face houses a stone plaque with a relief carved, plain Latin cross, replacing the original clock.
INSCRIPTION: the middle section carries the inscription: IN GRATEFUL / AND HONOURED MEMORY OF / THE FORDHAM MEN, / WHO FELL IN THE WAR, 1914 – 1919. / (NAMES) / 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).
Sources
Websites
Information on the memorial from Fordham History Society, accessed 4 December 2017 from http://www.fordhamhistorysociety.co.uk/#/war-memorial/4588285469
Imperial War Museums War Memorials Register, accessed 4 December 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/22366
War Memorials Online, accessed 4 December 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/205599/
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 14-Jun-2026 at 13:58:05.
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.