Luton Hoo War Memorial

Luton Hoo Memorial Park, Tennyson Road, Luton, LU1 3RP

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

Overview

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1922. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1471705
Date first listed:: 23-Sep-2020
List Entry Name:: Luton Hoo War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Luton Hoo Memorial Park, Tennyson Road, Luton, LU1 3RP

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1471705
Date first listed:: 23-Sep-2020
List Entry Name:: Luton Hoo War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Luton Hoo Memorial Park, Tennyson Road, Luton, LU1 3RP

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:: Luton Hoo Memorial Park, Tennyson Road, Luton, LU1 3RP

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

District:: Luton (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TL0922419921

Summary

A First World War memorial unveiled in 1922.

Reasons for Designation

The War Memorial at Luton Hoo Memorial Park 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 high-quality and dignified memorial.

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 Luton Hoo as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial stands in the grounds of the former Luton Hoo Estate and Manor which was purchased by Sir Julius Wernher in 1903. On his death in 1912 the estate passed to his wife Lady Ludlow who presented the Park and the memorial to the people of Luton on the 12 June 1920 in memory of her son Alexander Picott Wernher who was killed in action in 1916. She unveiled the War Memorial to her son on 10 December 1922 and the site was officially named Luton Hoo Memorial Park.

In 2017 the war memorial was conserved with funding from War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme.

Details

A First World War memorial, dedicated in 1922.

MATERIALS: granite and bronze

DESCRIPTION: Luton Hoo War Memorial is located in Luton Hoo Memorial Park. It consists of a granite obelisk, rectangular on plan, which rises from a pedestal on a two-stepped base. The base of the obelisk has a carved frieze. The south-east face carries a bronze wreath underneath which is an incised inscription reading LUTON HOO MEMORIAL PARK/ THE SITE OF THIS PARK/ WAS PRESENTED TO/ THE BOROUGH OF LUTON/ BY/ LADY WERNHER/ LADY OF THE MANOR OF LUTON/ IN COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT VICTORY/ OF THE ALLIES AND AS A/ MEMORIAL TO HER SON/ ALEXANDER PICOTT WERNHER/ 1ST WELSH GUARDS KILLED IN ACTION 1916/ AND TO ALL THE OTHER GALLANT MEN/ OF LUTON WHO GAVE THIER LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 TO 1918/ ERECTED 1922.

It stands within a circular grassed area enclosed by moulded granite kerbing.

Sources

Websites
Luton BC website, accessed 24 July 2020 from https://www.luton.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_recreation/parks%20and%20open%20spaces/pages/history%20of%20the%20memorial%20park.aspx
War Memorials Online, accessed 24 July 2020 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/202308
War Memorials Trust, accessed 24 July 2020 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1468
World War 1 Luton website, accessed 24 July 2020 from http://www.worldwar1luton.com/object/luton-hoo-memorial-park

Legal

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