Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower

Recreation Ground, Bull Lane, Eccles, Kent, ME20 7HN

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

Overview

First World War memorial clock tower with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1464868
Date first listed:: 30-Aug-2019
List Entry Name:: Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower
Statutory Address:: Recreation Ground, Bull Lane, Eccles, Kent, ME20 7HN

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1464868
Date first listed:: 30-Aug-2019
List Entry Name:: Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower
Statutory Address 1:: Recreation Ground, Bull Lane, Eccles, Kent, ME20 7HN

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:: Recreation Ground, Bull Lane, Eccles, Kent, ME20 7HN

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

County:: Kent
District:: Tonbridge and Malling (District Authority)
Parish:: Aylesford
National Grid Reference:: TQ7284060552

Summary

First World War memorial clock tower with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

The Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower, situated on the western edge of the Recreation Ground overlooking Bull Lane, Eccles 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 two World Wars.

Architectural interest:

* as a well-designed war memorial in the form of a handsome clock tower that forms a prominent village landmark;

* it is well-detailed and crafted, employing good quality materials.

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 Eccles as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 33 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The designer is currently unknown. Following the Second World War the names of 10 fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial. The railings around the memorial are a later addition.

Details

First World War memorial clock tower with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: stone.

DETAILS: the memorial stands on the western edge of the Recreation Ground overlooking Bull Lane. It takes the form of a square stone tower with corner pilasters. The main stage of the tower is rusticated with a deep frieze and cornice. The east and west faces have panels with moulded surrounds and hoods, that on the east face added after the Second World War. The upper stage has a glass encased clock face on each face. The tower has a stepped pyramidal roof surmounted by a ball-shaped finial. The tower stands on a square base surrounded by a small area of paving.

The west face of the tower bears an inscription carved in relief which reads LET US EVER HOLD IN/ HONOUR THE NAMES OF/ THE MEN OF ECCLES/ WHO DIED IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-1918. The names of the 33 fallen from the First World War are inscribed on the panel underneath. The eastern panel is inscribed LET US EVER/ HOLD IN HONOUR/ THE MEN OF/ ECCLES WHO DIED/ IN THE WAR OF/ 1939 – 1945/ (10 NAMES).

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register: Eccles Clock (Ref. 16544), accessed 31 May 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/16544
Kent Fallen: Eccles, accessed 31 May 2019 from http://www.kentfallen.com/PDF%20REPORTS/ECCLES.pdf
Our World For You: Eccles War Memorial, Kent, England, accessed 31 May 2019 from https://www.ourworldforyou.com/eccles-war-memorial-kent-england/
War Memorials Online: Eccles Memorial Clock Tower - WMO107380, accessed 31 May 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/107380

Legal

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