Tenterden War Memorial

High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6LB

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

Overview

First World War memorial, designed by the architect, W Wrigley Diggle of London and dedicated in 1920. A Second World War dedication was subsequently added. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1466045
Date first listed:: 16-Sep-2019
List Entry Name:: Tenterden War Memorial
Statutory Address:: High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6LB

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1466045
Date first listed:: 16-Sep-2019
List Entry Name:: Tenterden War Memorial
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6LB

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:: High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6LB

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

County:: Kent
District:: Ashford (District Authority)
Parish:: Tenterden
National Grid Reference:: TQ8817933193

Summary

First World War memorial, designed by the architect, W Wrigley Diggle of London and dedicated in 1920. A Second World War dedication was subsequently added.

Reasons for Designation

Tenterden War Memorial, designed by the architect, W Wrigley Diggle and dedicated in 1920, 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:

* for its good-quality carving and interesting stylised lantern.

Group value:

* with the Grade II listed buildings along this stretch of the High Street.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Tenterden as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Tenterden War Memorial was proposed at a public meeting in January 1919. It was designed by the architect, W Wrigley Diggle of London who had a connection to the town as the son of JR Diggle, a former mayor. It was sculpted by N Hitch of Vauxhall and erected by Messrs Weeks and Son of Tenterden. The memorial was dedicated on 26 May 1920 and unveiled by Lt Col J Body DSO, OBE. The names of the fallen from the Second World War were subsequently added.

Details

First World War memorial, designed by the architect, W Wrigley Diggle of London and dedicated in 1920. A Second World War dedication was subsequently added.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DETAILS: the memorial consists of a square-section shaft set on a square plinth supported on four octagonal steps. The shaft is topped by a stylised lantern with two lozenge-shaped panels bearing the Arms of Tenderden and the Crest of the County of Kent respectively in relief. On each face of the shaft are panels representing stylized spears pointing to the plinth. The front face of the square plinth bears a panel with an angelic head with outstretched wings in relief and below an inscription reads ‘TO THE MEN OF TENTERDEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ DURING THE GREAT WARS/ LIVE THOU FOR ENGLAND/ WE FOR ENGLAND DIED’. The names and rank of the 83 fallen are inscribed on panels on the other three sides of the plinth. The names and rank of the 26 fallen from the Second World War are inscribed on the same faces of the base of the plinth and top step. On the top of the plinth the dates ‘1914-1919’ and ‘1939-1945’ are inscribed on opposing faces.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register - Tenterden: 1807, accessed 26 July 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/1807
My Tenterden: Unveiling of the Tenterden War Memorial and Historical Information, accessed 26 July 2019 from https://www.mytenterden.co.uk/directory/unveiling-of-the-tenterden-war-memorial-and-historical-information-article-260.aspx#.XTs02PJKhhE
Roll of Honour - Kent: Tenterden, accessed 26 July 2019 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Kent/Tenterden.html
War Memorials Online - Tenterden War Memorial WWI and WWII (ref: 120728), accessed 26 July 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/120728

Legal

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