Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) War Memorial, Rotherhithe, London

Coordinates

Latitude: 51.5012 / 51°30'4"N

Longitude: -0.0541 / 0°3'14"W

OS Eastings: 535158

OS Northings: 179822

OS Grid: TQ351798

Mapcode National: GBR JB.30R

Mapcode Global: VHGR1.0JQK

Plus Code: 9C3XGW2W+F8

Entry Name: Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) War Memorial

Listing Date: 6 November 2017

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1450153

ID on this website: 101450153

Location: St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe, Southwark, London, SE16

County: London

District: Southwark

Electoral Ward/Division: Rotherhithe

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Southwark

Traditional County: Surrey

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Greater London

Tagged with: War memorial Memorial cross

Summary

Stone cross war memorial situated in the grounds of the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary the Virgin.

Description

Tall stone cross atop a splayed plinth. The front face of the plinth formerly bore an inscription, however this has now faded almost completely; according to sources it read ERECTED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF ROTHERHITHE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WARS/ 1914-1918/ 1939-1945. The memorial rests on a stepped stone base.

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 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 St Mary the Virgin in Rotherhithe 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 memorial inscription was later amended to honour the Fallen of the Second World War.

Reasons for Listing

Rotherhithe (St Mary the Virgin) 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: as a dignified and imposing stone cross war memorial;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary the Virgin, Grade II-listed Monument to Prince Lee Boo in the churchyard, and the Grade II-listed Hope Sufferance Wharf opposite.

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.