Charlton Village War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Charlton Village War Memorial, which stands at the junction of Charlton Road and Charlton Church Lane, 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 sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a sensitive adaptation of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice;
* Group value: with the Church of St Luke (Grade II*) and the Churchyard Walls, Gate Piers and Gate to St Luke’s Church (Grade II).

History

The Charlton Village memorial was unveiled on 31st October 1920 by Brigadier-General GHA White (commanding the Woolwich sub-area), who had served in the First World War. The Bishop of Woolwich, William Hough, dedicated the memorial and gave a short address.

The memorial follows the style of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice designed for the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission and was sculpted by RG Hoare from Portland stone. The site on which it stands was donated by Sir Spencer Maryon-Wilson JP of Charlton House and Estate, who was also responsible for the drinking fountain dedicated to the coronation of Edward VII in 1902 that stands nearby.

There were originally seven stone tablets inscribed with the names of 230 local war dead and a dedication plaque. This plaque was renewed and two horizontal tablets, inscribed with three names of servicemen from the RAF and Royal Navy, were added to commemorate those who died during the Second World War.

Details

The memorial stands on a triangular island in the junction of three roads close to the Church of St Luke (Grade II*) and the churchyard walls, gate piers and gate (Grade II). It is set on a paved brick-edged platform with a flower bed to one side and pedestrian pavement on the other two sides. The base of the memorial is surrounded by an octagonal brick pavement. On the west side a drinking trough is used as a planter; the 1902 drinking fountain stands to the south.

The 6.1m tall memorial is in the style of the Commonwealth War Graves Cross of Sacrifice designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. The main differences are in the treatment of the cross shaft foot, the plinth and the base. The cross bears a bronze sword of sacrifice on the front face of the octagonal shaft. The octagonal plinth stands on a two-stepped, octagonal, base.

Around the plinth are seven stone tablets inscribed with names and, to the front face, a bronze plaque with cast raised lettering. This plaque carries the principal dedicatory inscription TO THE/ GLORIOUS MEMORY/ OF THE/ MEN OF CHARLTON/ WHO IN THE GREAT WARS/ 1914 AND 1939/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ THAT WE MIGHT LIVE/ THEIR NAMES/ ARE RECORDED IN THE/ BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE/ IN/ ST LUKE’S CHURCH. Two horizontal inscribed stone tablets on the step below the plinth record the names of three servicemen who died during the Second World War.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 10 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 10 July 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/11871
War Memorials Online, accessed 10 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/111749

Other
Kentish Mercury, 22 October 1920.
Kentish Mercury, 5 November 1920.

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