Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1922.

Description

The memorial stands in the grounds of St Peter's Church, Streatham and comprises a Calvary cross with a bronze depiction of the crucifixion and bronze INRI scroll. The Calvary rises from a tall wooden shaft, set on a pentagonal stone plinth.

The front face of the plinth bears the inscription THIS MEMORIAL / WAS ERECTED 1921 / IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE MEMBERS OF THIS / PARISH AND CONGREGATION / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / FOR THEIR COUNTRY / IN THE WAR 1914-1918 / MAY THEY REST IN PEACE the other four faces bear the names of the Fallen. The whole stands on stone paving slabs in the shape of a pentagon, surrounded by small hedges and wooden posts supporting a rope, all set on a circular brick podium.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 21 March 2017.

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 St Peter's Church in Streatham 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 was unveiled on 15 January 1922.

Reasons for Listing

The war memorial at St Peter's Church, Streatham 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 sacrifice it has made in the First World War;
* Design: a well-executed and imposing Calvary cross;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed St Peter's Church.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478394

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

• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)