Bury Cemetery War Memorial

The Bury Cemetery War Memorial is a First World War memorial from the 1920s, designed in the style of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’. It is made of yellow sandstone and bronze and has an octagonal plan.

The memorial is prominently located in an open green space at the intersection of two major paths near the cemetery gates. It closely follows Blomfield’s 1918 design, with both the cross and base having an octagonal shape. The memorial stands approximately 4 meters tall, featuring a shaft with slight entasis, and both the shaft and arms taper gently towards lipped, flat ends. The principal face, facing south-west, displays a reversed bronze sword with an ogee pommel and trefoil guard. The shaft flares at the base, leading to a short foot.

The cross is set on a two-stepped base that is about 1.5 meters high. The upper section has a flat top and a small plinth, while the lower section features an overhanging weathered top. The front face of the upper base is inscribed with the words:

TO THE/ HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THOSE SAILORS/ AND SOLDIERS WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918 AND WHO/ LIE BURIED IN/ THIS CEMETERY

The plinth of the upper section is inscribed on five faces with:

THEIR/ NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR/ EVERMORE

The entire memorial is set on an octagonal area of paving made from the same stone, which ramps up at the junction with the base, integrating into the overall design.