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Merstham War Memorial

War Memorial, School Hill, Merstham, Surrey , RH1 3EG

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

Overview

First World War memorial cross with Second World War inscriptions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1458444
Date first listed:: 09-Oct-2018
List Entry Name:: Merstham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: War Memorial, School Hill, Merstham, Surrey , RH1 3EG

User submitted image — Uploaded by Brian Mawdsley This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1458444
Date first listed:: 09-Oct-2018
List Entry Name:: Merstham War Memorial
Location Description:: Junction with London Road
Statutory Address 1:: War Memorial, School Hill, Merstham, Surrey , RH1 3EG

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:: War Memorial, School Hill, Merstham, Surrey , RH1 3EG

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

County:: Surrey
District:: Reigate and Banstead (District Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ2902753193

Summary

First World War memorial cross with Second World War inscriptions.

Reasons for Designation

Merstham 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 conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a well composed Celtic cross memorial, which is stylistically redolent of its inter-war date.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Prior to then memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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.

Merstham War Memorial was unveiled on 30 October 1921 to commemorate the 90 local men who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of the 35 local men who fell in that conflict were added to the east face of the plinth. The paved platform which the memorial stands on is a later addition, the monument having originally been set upon a grassed verge, bounded by a link-chain fence (as shown in a photograph dated 1924). In 2014 the platform on which the memorial stands was enlarged and modern iron bar railings were added.

Details

Celtic cross memorial, unveiled 1921 to commemorate 90 local men who fell in the First World War, with the names of 35 of the fallen from the Second World War added after 1945.

MATERIALS: granite stone monument with applied metal lettering.

DESCRIPTION: The memorial stands on School Hill on the south side of the junction with London Road. It consists of a rough-hewn Celtic cross with a relief-carved sword to its front, set on a tapered, square-plan plinth and base. The front face of the cross shaft has applied lettering which reads IN MEMORY / OF / THE MEN OF / MERSTHAM / WHO LAID DOWN / THEIR LIVES / FOR / THEIR COUNTRY / IN / THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1918. Beneath this, on the front face of the plinth, are the names of 90 of the local men who fell in the war. An additional inscription to the east face of the plinth commemorates the fallen from the Second World War; this is marked with applied lettering which reads TO THE MEMORY OF / THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR / THEIR COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WAR / 3 SEP 1939 – 15 AUG 1945, with the names of 35 of the fallen recorded below.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museums, War Memorials Register: Merstham Parish Memorial Cross, accessed 2 July 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23691
Merstham Village Website, War Memorial (Past and Present), accessed 2 July 2018 from http://www.merstham.co.uk/merstham/Pastandpresent/pp16.htm
War Memorials Online: Merstham War Memorial, accessed 2 July 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/157201

Legal

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