Bedford War Memorial is a Grade II listed building in the Bedford local planning authority area, England. First listed on 24 July 2014. War memorial. 1 related planning application.
Bedford War Memorial
- WRENN ID
- riven-stone-harvest
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Bedford
- Constituency
- Bedford MP: Mohammad Yasin (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 24 July 2014
- Type
- War memorial
- Address
- Bedford War Memorial, The Embankment, MK40 3PD
- OS grid reference
- TL 056 496
- Coordinates
- 52.13465, -0.4582
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Bedford War Memorial commemorates those who served in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Unveiled in 1922 by Lord Ampthill, the memorial was sculpted by Charles Sargeant Jagger, with surrounding bollards designed by George P Allen and built by G F Loughton.
The memorial is prominently situated between the Embankment and the Promenade on the north bank of the River Ouse. It features a cloaked figure of a knight, likely representing St George, standing triumphantly between the wings of a slain dragon. The dragon is positioned over a square plinth, with its claws gripping the front edge and its tail hanging down behind. The structure includes a pedestal that stands on a base and two steps, which are at the center of a square stone platform. This platform is surrounded by domed octagonal bollards connected by chains, with one at each corner and one at the center of each side.
Inscriptions on three sides of the pedestal honor the fallen. The first side commemorates World War I with the words: "1914 + 1919 TO BEDFORDIANS WHO DIED MANY IN EARLY YOUTH SOME FULL OF YEARS AND HONOUR BUT WHO ALL ALIKE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY." The second side honors World War II, stating: "1939 + 1945 TO COMMEMORATE THE STRUGGLE AND SACRIFICE OF BEDFORDIANS." The third side recognizes the Korean War with: "1950 + 1953 TO COMMEMORATE THE KOREAN WAR." No individual names are recorded on the memorial.
Local climate
Bedford War Memorial sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 95% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 91% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 34 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 54% of listed buildings. Of these, 15 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- Sale history — 4 transactions since 1996
- Related listed building consents — 1 application
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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