Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War

Monument Types

• WAR MEMORIAL (Modern to Unknown - 1920 AD?)

Full description

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From the National Heritage List for England

"List entry Description

Summary of Building

First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War. .

Reasons for Designation

Hoo St Werburgh War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard at Hoo St Werburgh , 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:

* a rough hewn Celtic Cross, with carved sword of sacrifice, loosely derived from the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Werburgh. .

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. One such memorial was raised at Hoo St Werburgh, as permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was designed by Ebbutt’s of Croydon, and erected around 1920. Names of the Fallen from the Second World War were added to the monument after 1945. .

Details

First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: carved from granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a granite wheel headed cross, carved with a long sword (point downwards). The cross sits upon a rubble-faced tapering square plinth, which in turn sits upon a rubble-faced single step. The memorial sits within a circular paved area. Each face of the plinth has a dressed panel bearing inscriptions in black leaded letters. The inscriptions read TO THE / GREATER GLORY OF GOD / AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF THIS PARISH / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / FOR KING AND COUNTRY / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1918 / MAY THEY REST IN PEACE // NAMES // OUR / GLORIOUS / DEAD // 1939 – 1945 / NAMES //. . "(1)

Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading