Dulwich (St Stephen's) War Memorial, Southwark, London

Entry Name: Dulwich (St Stephen's) War Memorial

Listing Date: 7 November 2017

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1449908

ID on this website: 101449908

Location: Dulwich, Southwark, London, SE21

County: London

District: Southwark

Electoral Ward/Division: College

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Southwark

Traditional County: Surrey

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Greater London

Tagged with: War memorial Memorial cross

Summary

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

Description

Tall wheeled stone cross, decorated with Celtic-style knotwork carvings, forming the top of a rectangular pillar; the front face of this bears the inscription: (cross) / IN PROUD / AND / GRATEFUL / MEMORY / OF / THE MEN / OF THIS / PARISH, WHO / LAID DOWN / THEIR LIVES / IN THE / GREAT WAR / 1914 - 1919. / (cross) / THEIR NAME / SHALL LIVE / FOR / EVERMORE, and the back: 1939 (cross) 1945. This rests on a trapezoidal plinth decorated with Celtic knotwork, which in turn rests on a much larger trapezoidal plinth, all four faces of which bear the names of the Fallen. The whole rests on a two-step base.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 22 November 2017.

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 the country. 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, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at the Church of Stephen in Dulwich as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. Further inscriptions were added after the Second World War to honour the Fallen of that conflict.

Reasons for Listing

Dulwich (St Stephen's) 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 the local community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: as a dignified and imposing Celtic cross war memorial;
* Group value: with the Grade II-listed Church of St Stephen.

External Links

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.