Charminster War Memorial

The Charminster War Memorial is a memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. It was erected in 1920, with the names of those who fell in the Second World War added after 1945.

Constructed from Hamstone ashlar, the memorial is set on a reinforced concrete foundation and is located in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church, near the center of Charminster. It stands to the south of the Grade I listed medieval church and west of the Grade II listed early 18th-century Bridge Cottage and Charminster House.

The memorial features a tall, elongated Latin stone cross approximately 3.5 meters high, with a tapering octagonal shaft and crossarm. A longsword is carved in raised relief on the cross, with the crossguard matching the junction of the shaft and crossarm. The shaft is supported by a moulded and corniced square plinth, which sits on a three-tier stepped square base, making the total height around 1.5 meters.

On the front of the plinth, an inscription in black lettering reads: "TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF CHARMINSTER/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ AUGUST 4TH 1914 TO NOVEMBER 11TH 1918/ THIS CROSS IS ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THIS VILLAGE/ TO PERPETUATE THEIR GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE/ AND THEIR HOPE FOR THEM IN CHRIST." The other sides of the plinth are inscribed with 22 names, detailing rank, regiment, place of death, and date of death. Additionally, the top stage of the base is inscribed: "ALSO IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL IN THE WORLD WAR/ SEPTEMBER 3RD 1939 TO AUGUST 15TH 1945," with the names of nine of the Fallen listed on the other sides. The memorial is firmly set on its reinforced concrete foundation.