Hampton in Arden War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located at the junction of High Street and Shadowbrook Lane.

Constructed of Portland stone, the memorial takes the form a Latin cross with tapering, hexagonal shaft and splayed base. The cross has a cross patée symbol incised at the centre. The shaft rises from a hexagonal plinth with moulded top, surmounting a four-stepped hexagonal base. Three rectangular blocks, regularly spaced around the memorial, adjoin the top step of the base and cut into the step below. The whole is raised up upon a hexagonal stone platform.

The principal inscription is to the front (south) face of the plinth and reads: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ HAMPTON IN ARDEN/ WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE CAUSE OF/ FREEDOM. The symbol of a cross is incised beneath the inscription. The names are to the adjoining faces; 12 to the left face and 11 to the right face, which also has the letters RIP below the names. All lettering to the plinth is incised.

Below the principal inscription is a rectangular block with the dates 1914 - 1918 carved in relief. Directly beneath, to the third step down, is an incised inscription: SONS OF THIS PLACE - LET THIS OF YOU BE SAID/ THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD.

The bottom step has the dates 1939 – 1945 carved in relief with one name incised beneath.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The memorial is on a sloping site; this is mitigated by the memorial’s position atop a raised grassed area with irregular-coursed stone retaining walls that decrease in height to form a level area.