Eltham War Memorial

The Eltham War Memorial is located in front of the tower door of the Church of St John the Baptist, which is also a Grade II-listed building, and overlooks Eltham High Street. It occupies the former southern entrance to the church, featuring coped brick walling and a Portland stone screen that extends the southern part of the churchyard wall.

This memorial is a version of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cross of Sacrifice, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. It has a bronze reversed sword on the front face of the cross. The octagonal plinth of the cross is situated on top of a brick and Portland stone screen wall, which rests on a granite course at the roadside. The central section of the wall comprises the front three sides of the large octagonal base from which the plinth rises, while the front faces of the screen wall on either side include panels with dedications and names inscribed.

The principal dedicatory inscription, which can be read from the western section of the screen wall across the base to the eastern section, states: "TO THE HONOUR OF/ THE MEN OF/ ELTHAM/ WHO FELL IN/ THE GREAT WARS." The front face of the base features the dates "1914 1918/ 1939 1945" carved above and below a bronze wreath. On the rear of the screen wall, the inscription reads: "THINE O LORD/ IS THE GREATNESS/ AND THE POWER/ AND THE GLORY/ AND THE VICTORY."

The panels on both the western and eastern sections of the screen wall list a total of 276 names, arranged in columns under the dates 1914 - 1918. Each of the four corners of the two panels is decorated with a bronze Tudor Rose stud, referencing Eltham’s Tudor connections, as Henry VIII spent much of his childhood at Eltham Palace.