Farnham War Memorial
Gostrey Meadow Recreation Ground, South Street Entrance, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7RT
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1467667
- Date first listed:
- 06-Jan-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Farnham War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Gostrey Meadow Recreation Ground, South Street Entrance, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7RT
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1467667
- Date first listed:
- 06-Jan-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Farnham War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Gostrey Meadow Recreation Ground, South Street Entrance, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7RT
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Gostrey Meadow Recreation Ground, South Street Entrance, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7RT
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Surrey
- District:
- Waverley (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Farnham
- National Grid Reference:
- SU8425746684
Summary
War memorial. Designed by the architect, W C Watson and dedicated in 1921. A Second World War dedication was subsequently added.
Reasons for Designation
Farnham War Memorial, Gostrey Meadow Recreation Ground, designed by the architect, W C Watson and dedicated in 1921, 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 high-quality carving and as a good example of one of the most popular styles of First World War memorials.
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 the country. 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 remembrance.
One such memorial was raised in Gostrey Meadow in Farnham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was designed by the architect W C Watson and constructed by local stonemasons H C Patrick and Sons. It was unveiled on 10 April 1921 by Lieutenant-General, the Earl of Cavan and Major-General Sir Walter Campbell. The memorial cost £900 with the funds raised by public subscription.
The unveiling and dedication for the addition of Second World War names was made by the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey and the Bishop of Guildford on 8 July 1951. In 2017 Farnham Town Council replaced an illegible plaque and also added the names of two previously forgotten First World War casualties.
Details
War memorial. Designed by the architect, W C Watson and dedicated in 1921. A Second World War dedication was subsequently added.
MATERIALS: Portland stone.
DETAILS: the memorial consists of a three-stepped base surmounted by two hexagonal plinths. The upper plinth is surmounted by a tall tapering shaft with a tracery cross patonce.
The front face of the upper plinth has an inset stone plaque bearing carvings in relief of the Pelican-in-her-Piety and the Farnham coat of arms with the inscription ‘IN GRATEFUL MEM-/ ORY OF THE MEN/ OF FARNHAM WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ THEIR/ COUNTRY/ WHAT I/ GAVE I HAVE’. This is flanked by the dates ‘1914’ and ‘1918’ with the dates ‘1939-1945’ below. The plaques on the other faces, one of which is a replacement dating from 2017, bear the names of the First World War fallen. An inscription on the plaque on the lower plinth's front face reads ‘AND OF/ THE MEN AND WOMEN OF/ FARNHAM WHO LOST THEIR/ LIVES BY ENEMY ACTION IN/ THE SECOND WORLD WAR’, flanked by the dates ‘1939’ and ‘1945’ and its other faces display the names of the Second World War fallen.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Online - Farnham, accessed 30 October 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/100540
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register - Farnham, accessed 30 October 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23581
Surrey in the Great War - Farnham War Memorial Cross, accessed 30 October 2019 from https://www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/collections/getrecord/SHMEM_W_M_1860
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 22-Jun-2026 at 16:29:40.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.