The Merchant Navy Memorial, First World War section

The Merchant Navy Memorial, commemorating the First World War, stands on the southern side of Trinity Square Gardens, adjacent to the Tower of London and oriented east-west on Tower Hill. It is surrounded by other designated buildings and structures.

The memorial is a temple-form structure of three bays, raised on a platform above street level. The bays are defined by piers and columns along the long side walls, framing a central open space. The piers have external, round-arched niches carved in Portland stone, and are clad in rectangular bronze panels laid in a stretcher bond pattern, creating a rusticated appearance. These panels display the names of those missing, arranged by vessel.

The entablature, with cornice, is of the Doric order. The low-pitched roof has side parapets and is capped with a low, flat, circular dome with pedimented gable ends over the entrance arches at the east and west ends. Bronze security spikes are fixed within the wall openings on the southern elevation. At the centre is a square, stepped attic, reminiscent of the original design for the York City Memorial, but surmounted by a drum rather than a War Stone.

The principal dedicatory inscription, in bronze, is on the front (south) side of the central attic and reads: 1914-1918 / TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND TO THE HONOUR OF / TWELVE THOUSAND / OF THE MERCHANT NAVY / AND FISHING FLEETS / WHO HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA. Elaborate bronze swagged wreaths are set to either side, and the north side is carved with 1914 – 1918.

The temple is floored with black and white chequerboard stone paving. A flight of five stone steps, with iron gates, rises from the street at either end of the temple, and further steps lead down from the platform to the garden and Second World War memorial below on the north side.