Lower Hardres War Memorial

The Lower Hardres War Memorial is a First World War memorial that was unveiled in 1920 and includes later additions. It is made of Cornish granite with painted lead lettering, and features a limestone lower step.

The memorial is located on a triangular piece of land at the junction of School Lane and Hardres Court Road. It consists of a roughhewn granite wheel cross with a sword carved in relief on its front face. The cross is mounted on a boulder-style plinth that rises from a two-stepped base, with the top step made of granite and the lower step of limestone flags.

At the base of the shaft, an inscription reads ‘IN/ PROUD AND/ IMMORTAL/ MEMORY/ OF’, which continues on the plinth with ‘THE MEN CONNECTED WITH THIS/ PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ (25 NAMES)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE’. The names listed include the rank and regiment or ship of the fallen.

Additionally, there is a further inscription on the rear of the memorial honoring the seven individuals who fell during the Second World War. This inscription begins at the bottom of the shaft with ‘THESE ALSO/ GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ 1939 – 1945’, and the names are also recorded on the plinth, detailing rank and arm of service.

The cross is situated on a small area of limestone paving.