Ascham St Vincent War Memorial Arch

623/0/10060 CARLISLE ROAD 17-OCT-01 Ascham St Vincent War Memorial Arch

II

War memorial. 1919-20. Perpendicular style memorial arch to commemorate former pupils of Ascham St Vincent's School who lost their lives in the First World War. Built of red brick in English bond with sandstone dressings. About 30 feet high and 25 feet wide. Comprises four-centred arch with pediment above flanked by wide brick and stone piers with brick and stone buttresses. Pediment has stone inscription having border with carved floral emblems and central wreath with inscription "In memory of 49 gallant men who were at school here in their early boyhood and gave their lives in the service of their country during the Great War of 1914-19. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them." The spandrels to the arch are carved with shield and floral motifs. The obverse side is plainer with an inscription reading "They went with songs to the battle, they were young Straight of limb, true of eye steady and aglow They were stanch (sic) to the end against odds uncounted They fell with their faces to the foe." The sides have stone pointed arched tablets with the names of the fallen. A worn inscription to the base of southernmost pier records that the stone was laid by the mayor of Eastbourne in 1819. The remainder of the school has been demolished.

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, 1 December 2016.