First World War Memorial at the Church of St Mark, Kennington

First World War memorial, 1921.

MATERIALS: Granite.

DESCRIPTION: The memorial is situated to the west of the Church of St Mark (Grade II*-listed) within a landscaped area, in close proximity to the Grade II-listed walls and piers around west, north and east sides of the churchyard.

It is of granite and takes the form of a tall, Latin cross with tapering shaft rising from a high, square plinth. The plinth has a tapering cap with cornice beneath; each face has a band along the top and stone panel bearing the inscription and names in raised, leaded lettering. To the corners of the plinth are inset, engaged columns. The plinth surmounts a square block with corbels attached in pairs to each face, which is atop a moulded foot with projecting, rectangular blocks to the centre of each side. The whole surmounts a three-stepped base.

The principal inscription is to the west face and reads TO THE GLORY/ OF GOD/ AND IN/ HONOURED/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN/ FROM THIS/ PARISH AND/ NEIGHBOURHOOD/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918/ “MAY WE IN/ FAITH AND/ HONOUR KEEP/ THAT PEACE/ FOR WHICH/ THEY PAID”. The names are listed in columns on the remaining three faces, with additional names added to the block beneath.

A further inscription reads along the band around the top of the plinth. The west face reads I AM THE, followed by RESURRECTION to the south face, AND THE LIFE to the east face and ST JOHN XI.25 to the north face. Both the east and west faces of the band also have a raised, leaded cross pattée symbol.