Summary

War memorial, unveiled 1920, in the form of a cross made of Red Corsehill stone.

Description

Tall cross made of Red Corsehill stone. It rests on a plinth, the front face of which reads 'TO THE MEMORY OF / OUR IMMORTAL DEAD / 1914 - 1918 1939 - 1945 / THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY / THEIR SOULS FOR GOD'; the left face lists the Fallen of the First World War, the back 'CIVILIANS KILLED BY ENEMY ACTION' and those who 'DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE', and the right lists the Fallen of the Second World War. The plinth rests on a two-step base, the bottom step considerably larger.

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, 24 November 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 Ham at St Andrew's Church as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. It was erected in 1920, at a cost of £416.12.9.

Reasons for Listing

Ham 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 conflicts of the C20;
* Design: as an attractive and imposing stone cross war memorial;
* Group value: with the Grade II-listed St Andrew's Church.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478739

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)