Finchampstead War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1920, with additions for later conflicts. The memorial stands at the southern edge of Finchampstead Memorial Park.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the design of the memorial is an adaptation of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice with differences to the foot of the cross shaft and pedestal. The memorial comprises a tall Latin cross, octagonal in section, standing on an octagonal pedestal. The pedestal is raised on an octagonal plinth with a projecting top for the placement of floral tributes. The plinth stands on a low three-stepped base. A reversed sword in bronze is fixed to the front face of the cross.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the pedestal reads 'TO/ THE MEMORY OF/ FINCHAMPSTEAD MEN/ WHO IN THE GREAT/ WAR DIED FOR/ JUSTICE, LIBERTY/ AND RIGHT'. Below on the base is recorded 'ALL HALLOW E'EN/ MCMXX'. To the rear of the pedestal a further inscription reads 'I AM/ THE RESURRECTION/ AND THE LIFE/ HE THAT/ LOSETH HIS LIFE/ FOR MY SAKE/ SHALL FIND IT'.

The commemorated names are recorded on the remaining faces of the pedestal and plinth, with the name of the soldier who died in 2007 added to the rear of the plinth.

This List entry was amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 10 January 2017.