Arborfield, Newland and Barkham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, erected in 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Arborfield, Newland and Barkham 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 sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a large, roughly-hewn Celtic wheel cross engraved with linear knotwork

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw an unprecedented wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country, 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 war memorial erected at Arborfield Cross was unveiled in March 1920 by Mrs Stuart Rickman, formerly of Arborfield Grange.

The memorial was re-dedicated in 1948 with a further separate plaque to commemorate those who had died in the Second World War as well as EE Sturges who fell in the First World War.

The war memorial has been damaged by traffic accidents, and was eventually restored and relocated as part of the construction of the new roundabout in 2004. Its historic location is now the north-western side of the roundabout island.

Details

First World War memorial, erected in 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located on the north-east side of the main roundabout in the centre of Arborfield Cross. It is enclosed by sixteen two-foot granite posts supporting a steel rail on three sides with part of the front having a low chain link fence. It is constructed of granite with lead lettering.

The monument consists of a series of three steps on which is a roughly-hewn plinth surmounted by a Celtic wheel cross engraved with linear knotwork on the arms and wheel. In the centre of the cross there is a Chi-Rho symbol engraved.

The plinth bears inscriptions in lead lettering on three sides. On the western side is inscribed ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ PROUD AND GRATIFIED REMEMBRANCE/ OF THE MEN/ OF ARBORFIELD AND NEWLAND/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919/ "FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH"/ "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOREVER”’.

On the north and south sides are inscribed the names of those who died in the First World War. A further plaque was added to the western side at the base of the plinth which states ‘ALSO IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF/ARBORFIELD, NEWLAND AND BARKHAM/ WHO DIED FOR US/ IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945’. Under this is inscribed the names of those who fell in the Second World War followed by ‘AND 1914-1919 EE STURGES OF BARKHAM/ “WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”’.

Sources

Websites
Arborfield Local History Society, accessed 23 July 2019 from http://www.arborfieldhistory.org.uk/properties_cross_1920.htm
Arborfield Local History Society. War Memorial, accessed 23 July 2019 from http://www.arborfieldhistory.org.uk/properties_cross.htm
War Memorials Online. Arborfield, Newland and Barkham War Memorial, accessed 23 July 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/115485
Imperial War Museum. Arborfield, Newland and Barkham, accessed 23 July 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/78

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry