Matson War Memorial

First World War memorial, dedicated in 1920 and designed by F S Waller, architect, with the carvings in the cross head designed by A Maud Parsons, and executed by the sculptor W H Fry.

MATERIALS: of Portland stone with a Pea Grit stone base.

PLAN: it is square on plan.

DETAILS: the memorial, which faces south-east, takes the form of a medieval lantern cross standing upon a two-step base of Pea Grit stone blocks. The base supports a square plinth upon which sits an octagonal socket stone whose upper section has been worked into a deep drip moulding. A bronze plaque on the south-east side of the socket stone is inscribed: 'IN MEMORY OF / THOSE WHO DIED / FOR THE RIGHT IN / THE WAR 1914-1918 / THANKS BE TO / GOD WHICH GIVETH / US THE VICTORY'. Plaques on the north-west and south-west sides record the names of the fallen. The shaft, which is square at the base and is ornamented with carved leaf decoration, tapers in octagonal section to a lantern-head set above an octagonal annulet. Each face of the cross head is divided into four traceried niches containing figures sculptured in relief: on the south-east side is the Crucified Christ with St John and the Virgin Mary whilst the north-east face contains the Madonna and Child; the north-west and south-west faces both have figures of soldiers.

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, 25 July 2017.