Lambeth Civilian War Memorial

Civilian war memorial, 1952. Restored circa 2008.

MATERIALS: Portland stone. The original cast bronze plaques with raised lettering made by H H Martins were replaced by resin copies circa 2008.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial consists of a stepped stone wall, facing north-west, curved inwards and terminating in two piers with shallow pyramidal caps. The central raised section holds a carved panel with the Lambeth coat of arms. The motto beneath reads ‘SPECTEMUR AGENDO’ (‘let us be judged by our conduct’). The bronze plaque beneath reads: ‘1939/1945 / IN MEMORY / of / THOSE CITIZENS OF LAMBETH / WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN / THE AERIAL BOMBARDMENT / OF LONDON DURING THE / SECOND WORLD WAR / AND WERE LAID TO REST BENEATH THIS SPOT. / They died that the spirit of freedom / might live.’ To either side three plaques are set horizontally, bearing the names of those lost.

To the north-west, the wall encloses a low semi-circular dais at the centre of which is a symbolic chest tomb with an angled cross resting on it. Long planters extend to either side of the tomb. There are two wide shallow steps in front of the tomb, and narrower steps at either end leading to a path in front of the wall, from which the plaques can be viewed. The dais is completed by segmental grassed areas, bounded by a stone kerb, forming part of the memorial.