Shoreham Memorial Cross

Summary

War memorial cross carved into the east-facing slope of the North Downs above Shoreham, completed in September 1921.

Reasons for Designation

Shoreham Memorial Cross, located on the hillside above Shoreham, Kent, is scheduled for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:

*  as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First World War.
 
Survival:
 
*  the memorial cross survives well including its form, plan and setting.
 
Rarity:
 
* it is a very rare surviving example of a hillside memorial cross and along with the example at Lenham, is one of only two that are known to survive.
 
Potential:
 
* it has the potential to enhance our detailed understanding of hillside memorial cross construction, function and use in commemorating those who gave their lives in the First World War.
 
Period:
 
*  it is strongly representative of the more unusual memorials constructed across England, after the First World War.
 
Group value:
 
* with the adjacent Grade II-listed Shoreham War Memorial from which it was designed to be viewed and of which the inscription invites people to ‘Remember as you look at the cross on the hill’.

History

The memorial cross at Shoreham, Kent, was created as a permanent testament to the sacrifice of those from the parish who died during the First World War. It was the idea of Shoreham resident Samuel Cheeseman, who lost two of his sons in the conflict. As part of the annual remembrance he would pull a small cannon up the hill to the cross.  The first sod was removed by local landowner Francis Bingham Mildmay (later Lord Mildmay) on Empire Day, 24 May 1920. Men, women and children from the village joined together to finish the cross which was completed in September 1920.

The Shoreham war memorial of around September 1921 (NHLE entry 1427626, listed at Grade II) carries the inscription 'REMEMBER AS YOU LOOK AT THE CROSS ON THE HILL THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY 1914 – 1919'.

The memorial cross is one of two known chalk crosses in Kent, the other being located in Lenham and listed at Grade II (NHLE entry 1438738).  The cross was hidden under branches during the Second World War to avoid it being used as a navigational landmark by enemy aircraft. At the end of the conflict, it was uncovered once again, when the local boy scouts and their leader Stanley Brown removed the vegetation and restored the cross.

Details

War memorial cross carved into the east-facing slope of the North Downs above Shoreham, Kent, completed in September 1921.

PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: the monument is formed of a large chalk cross, centred at National Grid Reference TQ 51474 61967.

DESCRIPTION: the monument is constructed of compacted chalk on a natural chalk base and is edged with rectangular blocks of chalk stone. The cross measures approximately 30m tall and 18m wide. The left-handside is slightly longer so as to appear in perspective when viewed from the Shoreham War Memorial.

The scheduled area follows the cross outline of the monument.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Enhancement on 18 November 2021 to amend the description.

Sources

Books and journals
White, M, Saynor, J, Shoreham - A Village in Kent, (1989), 189-191, 208, 217 and 218
The Shoreham Society, , Shoreham at War, (2004), 8,9,25,31, 175, 176 and 180

Websites
Kent Online: The History of Kent's Chalk Landmarks, accessed 2 March 2021 from https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/the-stories-behind-kents-huge-chalk-landmarks-227266/

Other
Shoreham War Memorial Committee Minutes dated 14 July 2021, by The Revd Henry David Madge

End of official list entry

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