Mitcham War Memorial

First World War memorial, erected in 1920, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: Portland stone, bronze.

DETAILS: Mitcham War Memorial is situated on Lower Green opposite the Grade II-listed Mitcham Parish Rooms.

The memorial is of Portland stone and takes the form of a wheel-head Latin cross with a tapering, four-sided shaft. The cross shaft terminates in a square foot of classical design with a Greek key pattern carved into two sides atop a narrow square block. The cross rises from a square plinth with a decorated band to the top, surmounted by a cavetto with cornice. Rectangular panels project from the cavetto to all four sides. The vertical edges of the plinth are chamfered with inverted bronze swords affixed; each sword hilt has six studs down the centre and the pommel is a sculpted St Edward’s crown. The plinth has a three-stage moulded foot and stands on a five-stepped, octagonal base.

All four sides of the plinth carry the names of the 588 members of the local community who died during the First World War. The principal inscription is to the south face of the plinth, beneath the decorated band and reads: TO THE MEN OF MITCHAM/ WHO FALLING, CONQUERED/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919. Directly above on the panel in the cavetto is the dedication: THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE. All lettering is incised.

Resting against the plinth foot is a stone panel, added in 1962, with the Second World War inscription in raised lettering: AND/ TO THE MEMORY/ OF THE MEN, WOMEN/ AND CHILDREN OF MITCHAM/ WHO LOST THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945. Directly below, on the uppermost step of the base, is a further panel (added later) with a final dedication: AND THOSE KILLED/ IN OTHER CONFLICTS.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The memorial is enclosed by metal railings*.

• Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.