Hailsham War Memorial

First and Second World War memorial. Erected in 1920, with additional plaque added 1949.

MATERIALS: Carved in Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: The memorial is located on the High Street, set back from the road, and is found in front of a row of shops. The memorial is enclosed by a small wall which, like the surrounding shops, was not present when the memorial was erected.

The memorial is a 4m tall Cornish granite Celtic cross with triquetra carved in relief on the arms of the cross. The east and west faces of the shaft are carved with an interlace pattern in relief from the plinth to the base of the cross. The tapering plinth has cyclopean rustication at each corner, and sits on four rough-hewn granite steps.

The west face of the memorial is inscribed: 1914 1919 / IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF HAILSHAM / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN / THE GREAT WAR / THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE / . All three other faces of the plinth are inscribed with the names of the fallen.

A rectangular commemorative stone slab sits on the steps on the west face of the memorial, surrounded by a shallow iron railing. The slab is inscribed: 1939 1945 / OUR GRATITUDE IS / GIVEN ALSO TO THOSE BRAVE / SONS OF HAILSHAM WHO DIED / TO VINDICATE THE SACRIFICE / OF THEIR FATHERS / WE SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER / .

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, 6 June 2017.