Summary

First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: rough-hewn Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: Lightwater War Memorial is located on a green at the junction of All Saints Road and Guildford Road in Lightwater, Surrey.

It is in the form of a wheel-head cross on a square tapering shaft with a Sword of Sacrifice carved in relief. It stands on a tapered square pedestal with a smooth polished panel which carries the lead inscriptions. The whole sits on a single-stepped square base.

The First World War dedication reads IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF LIGHTWATER/ WHO FOUGHT FOR LIBERTY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919/ (NAMES).

On the opposite face is SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

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, 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 Lightwater 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 land was donated by Eliza Emily Hunter of Ealing and William Hoptroff of Heatherleigh, Lightwater in February 1920. The memorial commemorates 26 local servicemen who fell during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the 22 fallen of that conflict.

The landscaping around the memorial was changed around 1934 and again in 1961. In 2015 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Lightwater War Memorial is listed at Grade II 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 has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant Cornish granite wheel-head cross with carved decorative details.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q64019416

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  For the Record