Guy's Hospital War Memorial
Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1449960
- Date first listed:
- 09-Jan-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Guy's Hospital War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1449960
- Date first listed:
- 09-Jan-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Guy's Hospital War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Southwark (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ3273179959
Summary
War memorial arch, unveiled in 1921.
Reasons for Designation
Guy’s Hospital War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a dignified and imposing stone arch war memorial.
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.
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 Guy's Hospital in Southwark as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. Designed by William Walford, the memorial takes the form of a Portland stone arch, which originally had a colonnade attached to either side. The memorial was unveiled by HRH the Duke of York, KG, later King George VI, at a ceremony on 16 July 1921. The memorial commemorates 144 students and members of staff of Guy’s Hospital and medical school who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War, the names of 94 more individuals were added. The memorial was originally located on Great Maze Pond, adjacent to the south-east end of the main hospital building. In the early 1990s the colonnades were removed and the arch was moved approximately 100m south-west to its present location. A rededication ceremony was held on 11 November 1994.
Details
War memorial arch, unveiled in 1921.
MATERIALS: Portland stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands approximately 3.6m tall, on a slightly raised platform at the southern end of a small garden square, within the hospital grounds. The north face of the arch bears the inscription THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE / 1914 - 1919, with the shield of Guy's Hospital to either side. The faces of the piers beneath are inscribed with the names of the fallen.
The south side of the arch bears the inscription ERECTED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE GUY'S MEN WHO / GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR. 1914 – 1919, with 1939 and 1945 inscribed to either side of the arch underneath. Again, the shield of Guy’s Hospital is present to either side, with the piers beneath inscribed with the names of the fallen.
Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorial Register, accessed 24 September 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/135
London Remembers: Guy's War Memorial, accessed 24 September 2018 from https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/guy-s-war-memorial
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 14-Dec-2025 at 00:48:50.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2025. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2025. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry