Chislehurst War Memorial

The memorial stands in a prominent position to the NW side of the junction of Centre Common Road and Bromley Road. The 7.3m tall cross is based on the Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission Cross of Sacrifice, in Portland stone. The cross surmounts a three-stage octagonal plinth, standing on an octagonal base. There are inscriptions across the three stages of the plinth. A bronze sword is mounted on the front face of the tapering cross shaft.

An inscription wraps round the entire drum of the top stage of the plinth reading, from the front face, IN PROUD/ AND GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ CHISLEHURST/ FALLEN IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. Below this, the plinth is incised with the names of the fallen, starting alphabetically on the front face. Initially 186 names were recorded. There are now 189.

A Second World War inscription on the front face of the middle stage of the plinth reads 1939/ 1945. Also on the middle stage a small bronze tablet reads ALSO REMEMBERED/ WITH GRATEFUL APPRECIATION/ THOSE WHO, SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR,/ HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN CONFLICTS/ AND PEACE-KEEPING MISSIONS/ THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

The 65 Second World War names are recorded on the bottom stage of the plinth. The inscription THEY GAVE US PEACE/ BY THEIR WARFARE/ AND LIFE BY THEIR DEATH is recorded on the front face (this inscription was part of the original, First World War, design). The memorial is bounded by a lawn with flower border and an octagonal stone kerb.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 20 February 2017.

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 21/02/2016