Lingfield War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Lingfield War Memorial, which stands beside Gun Pond, 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:

* a slender lantern cross, including a working light, with elegant cast bronze plaques.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed and scheduled Village Cage and St Peter’s Cross, and Magnus Deo (Grade II*).

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 Lingfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 59 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial cross had been built by August 1922, although its location at Gun Pond and the means by which the memorial was paid for were the source of some disagreement as expressed through the local newspaper. Alternative schemes, for example to provide a recreation ground or hospital cot, appear not to have gone ahead. The architect was Arthur Hayward. The cross’s lantern was lit by gas.

By February 1945 only the plinth of the memorial was standing after the cross had been blown down. Hayward’s original plans were available and a replica lantern cross, to be lit by electricity rather than gas, was costed at £115. The cost of the scheme increased as it came to include improvements to the whole area of Gun Pond. It was further hindered by both limited availability of materials because of post-War restrictions and also disagreements about whether to restore the old memorial or adopt a scheme designed by Ian Walker to commemorate the Second World War.

In the event, Gun Pond was redesigned and the lantern cross had been restored by late 1949 and was unveiled at the November Remembrance Parade. The electricity bill for the lantern commenced from 10 November that year. Plaques commemorating the 30 local servicemen who died in the Second World War were fixed to the wall around the memorial cross.

In 1981 the memorial was rebuilt and re-dedicated. In October 2010, the bronze plaques on the memorial were stolen, but were found and re-instated the following month.

Details

The war memorial stands at the southern end of Gun Pond, at the junction of Palistow Street and High Street. It is c40m to the south-east of the scheduled and Grade I-listed St Peter's Cross and Village Cage, and opposite Magnus Deo (Grade II*). The memorial comprises a tall stone lantern cross. The lantern, which rises from the collar of the tapering cross shaft, octagonal in section, is surmounted by a small Latin cross. The cross shaft rises from a pedestal, square on plan, which stands on a low square base.

Each face of the pedestal bears a circular bronze plaque. Each plaque includes a be-ribboned wreath within which the inscriptions read OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ (NAMES). The First World War names are recorded with service rank. A rectangular metal plaque at the base of the south face of the pedestal reads REBUILT BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ AND RE-DEDICATED 1981. The tread of the south side of the base is inscribed YOU ARE REMINDED THAT/ THIS IS HALLOWED GROUND.

The memorial stands on a paved area set back from the pavement. It is bounded to the rear and sides by a continuation of the brick wall enclosing Gun Pond. Four rectangular bronze plaques are fixed to the brick wall, listing the names of the Second World War dead. These plaques also include each man's rank, and have stylised laurel leaf borders.

Sources

Websites
The Daily Telegraph [online edition], accessed 12 June 2018 from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8098927/Villagers-rally-to-restore-repair-vandalised-memorial-in-time-for-Remembrance-Day.html

Other
“Lingfield War Memorial, and Ratepayers Money”, Surrey Mirror, 18 July 1919, p7
“Mr Bumble and the Lingfield Slough of (Des)pond”, Surrey Mirror, 7 November 1919, p3
“To the Editor”, Surrey Mirror, 21 November 1919, p5
“Stopping a Footpath for Improvement”, Surrey Mirror, 27 August 1920, p8
“To the Editor”, Surrey Mirror, 23 June 1922, p3
“To the Editor”, Surrey Mirror, 4 August 1922, p2
“Lingfield Pond”, Crawley and District Observer, 3 February 1945, p4
“Lingfield”, Crawley and District Observer, 7 April 1945, p4
“Lingfield Parish Council”, Crawley and District Observer, 5 May 1945, p5
“Other Matters”, Surrey Mirror, 3 August 1945, p5
“Would Racegoers Help to Build Memorial?”, Crawley and District Memorial, 14 November 1947, p3
“Villagers Ought to Think for Themselves”, Crawley and District War Memorial, 16 April 1948, p10
“War Memorial Costs Present a Problem”, Crawley and District War Memorial, 3 March 1950, p3
“Legion ‘Laggards’ Lashed: Accounts Queried”, Crawley and District War Memorial, 11 November 1949, p5

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