Hornchurch War Memorial

War memorial, 1921, designed by Sir Charles Nicholson; the memorial was erected by George Dockrill of Hornchurch.

MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed of Clipstone stone; the original bronze panels have been replaced with larger marble or granite panels, incised with the names of the fallen. The memorial stands in a grassed area to the north-west of the lychgate serving the churchyard of the medieval Church of St Andrew, Hornchurch.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial consists of a hexagonal plinth raised on a wide base of four steps with a tapering hexagonal shaft supporting a head of niches each with a cusped ogee top, the whole surmounted by a Latin cross. The memorial is set on a hexagonal paved area.

The replacement marble or granite panels surround the plinth on all but the southern face; the panels fill the faces more fully than did the original bronze plaques. Around the top step are plaques added in 2017, giving the names of those not originally commemorated on the memorial, including merchant seamen and civilians. On the north face of the step below are inscriptions relating to the First World War: "WORLD WAR 1 1914-1918 / “THESE AT THE CALL OF KING AND COUNTRY, LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM, / ENDURED HARDNESS, FACED DANGER, AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF THE SIGHT OF / MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY AND SELF-SACRIFICE: GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES / THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM. LET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE THAT / THEIR/ NAMES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.” / “THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US BY BOTH NIGHT AND BY DAY" 1 SAMUEL XXV.16.” On the step below that is an inscription relating to the Second World War: “WORLD WAR II 1939-1945 / WHEN YOU GO HOME TELL THEM OF US AND SAY / “FOR YOUR TOMORROW WE GAVE OUR TODAY”.