Lewisham War Memorial, Memorial Gardens

MATERIALS: Portland stone

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a tapered Classical obelisk decorated with fluting and a Latin cross in relief on its four faces. It sits upon a square plinth which holds a stone plaque on its west front facing the High Street. It is decorated with the Borough of Lewisham's Arms below which is inscribed: IN MEMORY OF/ ALL LEWISHAM/ PEOPLE/ WHO LOST/ THEIR LIVES/ 1914-1918/ AND/ 1939-1945.

Below, the foundation stone is inscribed: THIS STONE WAS LAID BY/ HARRY CHIESMAN/ JP MBE/ MAYOR OF LEWISHAM/ NOVEMBER 6TH 1920.

The memorial sits upon a three-stepped octagonal base in the centre of a circular paved area. At either side of the entrance from the High Street are two smaller stone obelisks each inscribed on their front faces: THESE PIERS/ WERE ERECTED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ THE OFFICERS/ AND MEN OF THE/ 11TH LEWISHAM BATTALION,/ ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT,/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR. Each is decorated with the regimental badge in relief at the top. Each obelisk is topped with a bronze base which once carried a bronze lamp.

The circular paved area around the memorial with the path leading to the High Street flanked by the obelisks either side, were all part of the original design and are integral to the memorial.

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, 16 February 2017.