Westerham War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Clipsham stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial consists of a floriated cross surmounting an octagonal plinth set on natural stone paved tiered steps. The cross is cut from Clipsham, a Rutlandshire stone.

The plinth is decorated with swags carved in relief, with cherubs' heads and festoons of carved laurels, below which are the engraved names of the fallen. The plinth supports an octagonal shaft. On the shaft there is a cap with four carved angels' heads, and above there is a shield with Alpha and Omega carved upon it. At the top of the shaft is a floriated cross, surmounted by a pelican (the bird of sacrifice) which is represented as feeding the young fledglings with its blood. On the side facing east there is a shield bearing the sacred monogram "I.H.S." The whole memorial stands approximately 5m in height.

The principal dedicatory inscription is incised into alternate sides around the top of the plinth and reads: TO THE/ MEN OF/ WESTERHAM/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ AND/ 1939 – 1945. The names of the fallen from both World Wars are also engraved on the plinth, arranged in alphabetical order, with those from the First World War being incised on the upper part of the plinth, and those from the Second World War on the lower part.