Bickley War Memorial

St George's Church, Bickley Park Road, Bickley, Bromley, BR1 2AX

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Overview

A war memorial cross in the grounds of the Church of St George. It was designed by Lieutenant Colonel WG Newton and unveiled in October 1920.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1465460
Date first listed:
16-Aug-2019
List Entry Name:
Bickley War Memorial
Statutory Address:
St George's Church, Bickley Park Road, Bickley, Bromley, BR1 2AX
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1465460
Date first listed:
16-Aug-2019
List Entry Name:
Bickley War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:
St George's Church, Bickley Park Road, Bickley, Bromley, BR1 2AX

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
St George's Church, Bickley Park Road, Bickley, Bromley, BR1 2AX

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Greater London Authority
District:
Bromley (London Borough)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ4265268965

Summary

A war memorial cross in the grounds of the Church of St George. It was designed by Lieutenant Colonel WG Newton and unveiled in October 1920 .

Reasons for Designation

Bickley War Memorial which stands south of the Grade II-listed Church of St George 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 during the First World War.

Architectural interest:

* as an elegant limestone and bronze memorial cross.

Group value:

* with the Church of St George (Grade II, list entry number 1064311).

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.Ā  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.Ā  One such memorial was raised at Bickley as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Bickley War Memorial was dedicated on 31 October 1920 and designed by Lieutenant Colonel WG Newton. In 2016 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid administered by War Memorials Trust.

William Godfrey Newton (1885 -1949) was the son of architect and former President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Ernest Newton. Newton followed his father into architecture, designing a number of educational buildings and country houses, including the Merchant Taylors School in Hertfordshire and the Memorial Hall at Marlborough College, Wiltshire (both listed at Grade II, list entry numbers 1100829 and 1259066). Newton also wrote a number of books on architecture, including contributing to Sir Reginald Blomfield’s monograph on the work of his father, Ernest Newton.

Details

A war memorial unveiled in October 1920 and designed by Lieutenant Colonel WG Newton.

MATERIALS & PLAN: the war memorial cross is located in the grounds of the Church of St George (Grade II listed, list entry number 1064311). The shaft, base and plinth are of limestone with a bronze orb and cross to the top.Ā 

DESCRIPTION: The monument consists of a plinth of two steps which each have a moulded nosing formed of a fillet, astragal and cavetto. Above these is a cuboid base supporting an octagonal column shaft with a moulded octagonal capital Ā On top of this is a bronze orb finial surmounted by a bronze cross. The south face of the base is inscribed 'MCMXIV / MCMXIX'.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online , accessed 2 July 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/160494
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register , accessed 2 July 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/12747

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Bickley War Memorial

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 15-Dec-2025 at 03:09:06.

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© 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

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