Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower, Eccles, Kent

Entry Name: Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower

Listing Date: 30 August 2019

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1464868

ID on this website: 101464868

Location: Eccles, Tonbridge and Malling, Kent, ME20

County: Kent

District: Tonbridge and Malling

Civil Parish: Aylesford

Built-Up Area: Eccles

Traditional County: Kent

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Kent

Tagged with: War memorial Clock tower

Summary

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

Description

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

MATERIALS: stone.

DETAILS: the memorial stands on the western edge of the Recreation Ground overlooking Bull Lane. It takes the form of a square stone tower with corner pilasters. The main stage of the tower is rusticated with a deep frieze and cornice. The east and west faces have panels with moulded surrounds and hoods, that on the east face added after the Second World War. The upper stage has a glass encased clock face on each face. The tower has a stepped pyramidal roof surmounted by a ball-shaped finial. The tower stands on a square base surrounded by a small area of paving.

The west face of the tower bears an inscription carved in relief which reads LET US EVER HOLD IN/ HONOUR THE NAMES OF/ THE MEN OF ECCLES/ WHO DIED IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-1918. The names of the 33 fallen from the First World War are inscribed on the panel underneath. The eastern panel is inscribed LET US EVER/ HOLD IN HONOUR/ THE MEN OF/ ECCLES WHO DIED/ IN THE WAR OF/ 1939 – 1945/ (10 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. 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 Eccles as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 33 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The designer is currently unknown. Following the Second World War the names of 10 fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial. The railings around the memorial are a later addition.

Reasons for Listing

The Eccles War Memorial Clock Tower, situated on the western edge of the Recreation Ground overlooking Bull Lane, Eccles 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 two World Wars.

Architectural interest:

* as a well-designed war memorial in the form of a handsome clock tower that forms a prominent village landmark;

* it is well-detailed and crafted, employing good quality materials.

External Links

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