War Memorial At Dulwich Old College

War Memorial at Dulwich Old College

This First World War memorial, designed by the eminent architect William Douglas Caröe, stands in the forecourt of Dulwich Old College. Completed in 1921, it commemorates the Old Alleynians and Alleyn Old Boys who served in and fell during the First World War.

The memorial is constructed from Hoptonwood Stone. It comprises a tall tapering shaft topped with a diamond entablature featuring Christ the King on both the northern and southern sides. The shaft rises from a square pedestal, which in turn sits on a stepped octagonal four-tier plinth.

The square pedestal displays panel motifs on each of its four sides. The east and west panels feature floral designs. The southern panel, which faces the chapel door, is designed as a two-pane trefoil-headed window with a decorated pediment. The northern panel displays the College Shield (part of the Coat of Arms), showing a shield with a chevron dividing three cinquefoils gules (red five-pointed stars), with the College Motto inscribed above it: "DETUR GLORIA SOLI DEO" (Let glory be given to God alone).

The bottom three tiers of the plinth are undecorated. The top tier bears a dedicatory inscription in raised letters, beginning at the north-west corner and encircling the plinth: "IN HONOUR OF THE MEN OF THIS FOUNDATION WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919 AND IN SOLEMN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO DIED FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE TO THE GLORY OF GOD". Below this inscription runs a band of square floral and geometric motifs.

Dulwich College itself was founded by Edward Alleyn in 1619. The original buildings at Dulwich Old College date from the 17th century, though they were extensively remodelled in the 19th century. In 1857 the old foundation was reformed, and new school buildings were erected about half a mile south, designed by the younger Charles Barry between 1866 and 1870.

A second memorial also exists in the form of oak panelling by Mr Lawrence Turner, inscribed with the names of the fallen, which was erected in 1920 on the south wall of Christ's Chapel (listed as part of Dulwich Old College). A separate war memorial stands at the newer Dulwich College buildings.

The memorial has strong visual and contextual relationships with Dulwich Old College itself and with the entrance gates and piers of the same institution, both of which are listed Grade II.