Godalming War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions.

The memorial is situated on a platform against the retaining wall between the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul and the Phillips Memorial Park. To the south of the memorial are numerous Grade II-listed monuments in the churchyard and it is in close proximity to the Grade I-listed Church of St Peter and St Paul. To the north, within the park, is the Grade II-listed Phillips Memorial Cloister.

It takes the form of a Doulting stone Latin cross with a hexagonal shaft with moulded foot. This rises from a two-tiered plinth; each tier is tapered, with the upper tier being smaller and hexagonal in shape while the lower is larger and is in the shape of a 12-pointed star. The plinth surmounts a single-stepped base, which is also in the shape of a 12-pointed star. The plinth is incised with the dates of the wars. To the north side, which faces into the park, it reads 1914/ 1918 on the upper tier with 1939/ 1945 directly below on the lower tier. This is repeated on the south side, which faces the churchyard.

The memorial stands on a hexagonal platform of roughly-coursed, Doulting stone blocks, which rests against (and is level with the height of) the retaining wall that forms the northern boundary of the churchyard. On the other side of the wall is the Phillips Memorial Park and here the ground level drops. To the park side there is a three-stepped, paved platform leading up to two black granite plaques carrying the names and inscriptions in gold lettering, which are affixed to the wall.

The large plaque is directly below the memorial cross and is dedicated: IN MEMORY OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR 1939 – 1945. The 109 names are inscribed in columns below. The smaller plaque is underneath and reads: IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS TOWN/ WHO FELL IN THE/ 1914-1918 WAR/ THEIR NAMES ARE ON THE/ TABLET IN THE CHURCH.

The retaining wall is of roughly-coursed, stone blocks with rounded stone coping; there is no coping to the wall directly beneath the memorial. To either side of the memorial cross, the wall projects forward into the park to form a point before sloping back to join the retaining wall.

There are wooden park benches* affixed to the stepped platform, situated to either side of the plaques.

• Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.