War memorial at Lyndhurst, New Forest, Lyndhurst, Hampshire

Summary

War memorial unveiled in 1921.

Description

War memorial, unveiled 10 April 1921, said to be to a design concept by Alice Hargreaves (born Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll's inspiration for Alice in Wonderland) whose two sons are commemorated on the memorial. Additional names were added after the Second World War and Falklands conflict.

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a cairn constructed with granite boulders of varying sizes cemented to form a large, irregularly coursed splayed base on which rests a roughly finished tapering shaft topped by a Celtic cross. The memorial is enclosed by iron railings; an additional chain-link fence with rough-hewn uprights to each corner surrounds the railings.

The principal west face of the memorial faces the Lyndhurst Park Hotel. The dates 1914-1918 are incised at the top of the cairn, beneath which is a plaque vertically set into the face of the cairn recording the 69 names of the fallen from the First World War, with the inscription 'THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE' beneath. A second plaque set horizontally at the feet of the first records 21 names of the Second World War dead and one from the Falkands conflict. On the rear face of the cairn is the inscription 'TO THE UNCONQUERED PEACE'.

Listing NGR: SU3039208164

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 a result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and the official policy of not repatriating the dead. Therefore, the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

Lyndhurst war memorial is located on the border of Lyndhurst Camp, home of the ‘Immortal 7th Division’ who were stationed at Lyndhurst during the First World War before transport to Ypres. The memorial's location was chosen as the site of the outdoor mass held for the 7th Division by Fr Bernard Vaughan (brother of Cardinal Vaughan) before they went to Ypres in Belgium, as well as being the site that the soldiers gathered at prior to being transported to France. The memorial faces the Grand Hotel (now the Lyndhurst Park Hotel, previously Glasshayes House), where officers of the 7th Division were stationed and where Major General T Capper CB, DSO had his headquarters. It is intentionally visible from the roads by which the 7th entered and exited Lyndhurst for the final time, and from the Grand Hotel itself.

The memorial was paid for by subscription with the bulk of the funds given by Mr and Mrs Hargreaves of Cuffnells. Alice Hargreaves (born Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland) is said to have provided the naturalistic design concept. Mr and Mrs Hargreaves lost two sons in the war, both of whom are remembered on this and other war memorials. The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on the afternoon of Sunday 10 April, 1921. A procession was led from the churchyard by the Crossbearer, Mr Wolfe, the organist and choir, and the clergy of Lyndhurst and Emery Down, followed by boy scouts, girl guides, ex-servicemen, and relatives of the fallen. The unveiling itself was performed by Major General Sir Henry Bushman KCB, who pronounced the words ‘In proud and loving memory of the men from this parish who fell in the Great War, I unveil this cross’ and removed the Union flag which it had been draped with. Brigadier General Sir Percy Sykes KCIE then read the roll of honour of 68 names, then the Last Post was played and a minutes silence observed, followed by the Reveille. Prayers, readings and blessings were given by local Catholic, Anglican and Baptist clergy, specifically the Rev J Compton Hon CF; the Rev WB Hesketh Biggs, and the Rev TW Scamell. Mr and Mrs Hargreaves were also in attendance. The ceremony finished with the choir singing ‘For All the Saints’ and the national anthem, before crosses and wreaths were laid at the cairn base. A photograph of this ceremony is held at the Christopher Tower Reference Library in the New Forest Centre, Lyndhurst. Further names were added following the Second World War and Falklands conflict.

Reasons for Listing

Lyndhurst War Memorial, located about 80m to the east of the junction of Beaulieu Road and Southampton Road in Lyndhurst, New Forest, 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 unusual design, said to be based on a concept by Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, who lost two sons in the First World War.

External Links

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