Summary
A First World War memorial unveiled in 1922.
Description
A First World War memorial, dedicated in 1922.
MATERIALS: granite and bronze
DESCRIPTION: Luton Hoo War Memorial is located in Luton Hoo Memorial Park. It consists of a granite obelisk, rectangular on plan, which rises from a pedestal on a two-stepped base. The base of the obelisk has a carved frieze. The south-east face carries a bronze wreath underneath which is an incised inscription reading LUTON HOO MEMORIAL PARK/ THE SITE OF THIS PARK/ WAS PRESENTED TO/ THE BOROUGH OF LUTON/ BY/ LADY WERNHER/ LADY OF THE MANOR OF LUTON/ IN COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT VICTORY/ OF THE ALLIES AND AS A/ MEMORIAL TO HER SON/ ALEXANDER PICOTT WERNHER/ 1ST WELSH GUARDS KILLED IN ACTION 1916/ AND TO ALL THE OTHER GALLANT MEN/ OF LUTON WHO GAVE THIER LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 TO 1918/ ERECTED 1922.
It stands within a circular grassed area enclosed by moulded granite kerbing.
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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Luton Hoo 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 stands in the grounds of the former Luton Hoo Estate and Manor which was purchased by Sir Julius Wernher in 1903. On his death in 1912 the estate passed to his wife Lady Ludlow who presented the Park and the memorial to the people of Luton on the 12 June 1920 in memory of her son Alexander Picott Wernher who was killed in action in 1916. She unveiled the War Memorial to her son on 10 December 1922 and the site was officially named Luton Hoo Memorial Park.
In 2017 the war memorial was conserved with funding from War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme.
Reasons for Listing
The War Memorial at Luton Hoo Memorial Park 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 conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest
* as a high-quality and dignified memorial.
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.
Recommended Books
Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)