War Memorial, Church of All Saints, Banstead

All Saints Churchyard, High Street, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 2NN

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

Overview

First World War Memorial. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1459074
Date first listed:: 09-Oct-2018
List Entry Name:: War Memorial, Church of All Saints, Banstead
Statutory Address:: All Saints Churchyard, High Street, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 2NN

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1459074
Date first listed:: 09-Oct-2018
List Entry Name:: War Memorial, Church of All Saints, Banstead
Statutory Address 1:: All Saints Churchyard, High Street, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 2NN

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:: All Saints Churchyard, High Street, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 2NN

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:: TQ2545159614

Summary

First World War Memorial

Reasons for Designation

The War Memorial at the Church of All Saints, Banstead 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* as a finely-worked and elegant Calvary cross memorial designed by George Jack.

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.

The Banstead memorial at the Church of All Saints commemorates 58 local men who fell in the First World War. The memorial was commissioned by the Garton family, to commemorate their two sons who died in the war, with the names of the local men who died in the conflict subsequently added to the memorial. Designs were produced in 1919 by George Jack, a prominent British Arts and Crafts designer and architect. The memorial appears to have been executed shortly after this to a slightly modified design (with the addition of an octagonal, stepped base and plinth); the initial 1919 drawing for the proposed war memorial without the base is held in the collection of George Jack’s works at the V&A Museum Archive (Victoria & Albert Museum E.2386-1932).

George Washington Henry Jack (1855-1931) was born in Long Island, New York and trained in Glasgow under Horatio Bromhead before becoming an assistant to Philip Webb. Like many of his contemporaries he also designed furniture, and made plaster casts and wood carvings. He worked for Morris and Co and taught at the Central School for Arts and Crafts. George Jack was also probably responsible for the war memorial on Park Road in Banstead (listed Grade II; NHLE 1458546), which was unveiled on 5 June 1921.

Details

First World War memorial designed by George Jack in 1919 and apparently unveiled shortly thereafter.

MATERIALS: Portland stone

DESCRIPTION: Calvary cross on a chamfered plinth and two-stepped, coped octagonal base. The front of the plinth carries the inscription IF I BE / LIFTED UP / WILL DRAW / ALL MEN / UNTO ME, with the name, rank, date of death and age at death recorded for each individual on the plinth and steps. The riser of the second frontal step bears an additional inscription, which reads THEY ARE THINE O LORD / THOU LOVER OF SOULS. There is some weathering to the memorial and an arm of the Christ sculpture has broken off, although restoration work is intended.

Sources

Books and journals
Felstead, A, Directory of British Architects 1834 to 1914 Volume 1 A-K, (2001), 1001
Websites
Surrey in the Great War: : Banstead, All Saints, Garton Memorial in Churchyard, accessed 30 July 2018 from https://www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/collections/getrecord/SHMEM_W_M_29
Other
Banstead Parish Church Council Minutes, Surrey History Centre
E.2386-1932 (drawing reference), V&A Museum Archive

Legal

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