War Memorial Lych Gate, Emmanuel Church, Sidlow

Summary

War memorial lych gate, unveiled in 1921.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial lych gate at Emmanuel Church, Sidlow, Reigate, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial which takes the form of a churchyard lych gate.

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.

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, 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.

One such memorial was raised in the form of a lych gate at Emmanuel Church, Sidlow Bridge, 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 lych gate was unveiled at a ceremony on 5 July 1921, and dedicated by the Bishop of Woolwich. The structure was designed by Mr Fergus Forge and erected by Messrs Waters of Redhill.

Details

War memorial lych gate, unveiled in 1921.

MATERIALS: timber lych gate, with Portland stone plinths and seats, tiled roof and internal brass plaque.

DESCRIPTION: the lych gate has a wide hipped, tiled roof, supported by a robust timber frame standing on a square stone plinth to each side of the entrance. The roof has triangular high-set gablets to the north and south, which are mirrored to the east and west. Each has a recessed trefoil opening with cusped timber frame. The roof is surmounted by a central finial spire, with arms extending outward from the cardinal points.

The roof is supported by a robust timber frame, consisting of four principal posts standing on each plinth, each post with four-way arched bracing to the wall plate. The frame stands upon two Portland stone plinths, which extend out into the street to incorporate benches which stand under the canopy. The west face of the north bench is inscribed with 1914, whilst the south bench is inscribed with 1918. Timber gates are present to the north and south of each plinth. A brass plaque is attached to a beam in the roof of the lych gate, and this reads:

THIS LYCH GATE WAS ERECTED BY GEORGE HENRY LINDSEY-RENTON OF DOVERS/ AS A THANKOFFERING TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR THE PRESERVATION OF MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY/ WHILE SERVING ON THE WESTERN FRONT IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ AND AS A MEMORIAL TO THOSE OF THIS PARISH WHO DIED IN THE DEFENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY

At some point after 2015, the east face of the south bench was inscribed with the date 1939, whilst the east face of the north bench was inscribed with 1945.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 July 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/151327/

Other
Surrey Mirror, 8 July 1921, p.5

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