Summary

Portland stone war memorial cross, unveiled 1921.

Description

Tall cross of Portland stone, resting on an octagonal pillar atop an octagonal plinth. The front face of the plinth bears the inscription: TO THE / GLORY OF / GOD / AND IN / GRATEFUL / MEMORY OF / ALL FROM / THIS PARISH / WHO FELL / IN THE / GREAT WAR / 1914 - 1918; the other eight faces bear the names of the Fallen. The plinth rests on a two-step octagonal base.

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, 20 July 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 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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised in Penge at Holy Trinity Church as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. It was unveiled on 19 February 1921 in a ceremony attended by Reverend Canon Henry Arnott and the Grenadier Guards. The Venerable Archdeacon of Rochester Donald Tait was due to be officiating but was forced to withdraw on the morning of the 19 due to a family bereavement. The memorial cost a total of £224.14.4.

In 2016 the memorial was cleaned and the inscriptions re-carved.

Reasons for Listing

Penge (Holy Trinity) War Memorial 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 sacrifices it made in the First World War;
* Design: as an imposing and well executed Portland stone cross war memorial.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478672

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

• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)