The Town and County War Memorial

The Town and County War Memorial is a First World War memorial, with additions for the Second World War, built from Portland stone. It is situated within a garden originally part of the churchyard of All Saints Church.

The garden is enclosed by a stone wall approximately one metre high, topped with a simple, chamfered coping, and features wrought-iron gates hung from stone gate piers with urn finials above pyramidal blocking courses. The memorial itself stands on a paved platform. At its centre is a Stone of Remembrance, designed by Lutyens for the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission, raised on three steps. Flanking the Stone of Remembrance are two tall obelisks, each raised on a tall, square, corniced column composed of four stages which in turn stand on a square, undercut plinth. Round arched, curved niches are set into the principal stage of each column. Very tall painted stone flags, topped with gilded laurel wreaths, flank each obelisk, draped around the cornices. The northern obelisk is flanked by the Red Ensign on its north side and the Union Flag on its south side; the southern obelisk is flanked by the White Ensign on its north side and the RAF Ensign on its south side.

Dedicatory inscriptions are carved into each element of the memorial. On the east side of the northern obelisk’s column is carved MCM/ XIX on a raised panel below the cornice. Below this is the town’s coat of arms with MCMXXXIX/ MCMXLV below. On the west side is MCM/ XIV. This is repeated on the southern obelisk. The Stone of Remembrance features the inscriptions THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS/ ARE IN THE HANDS OF GOD (west side); THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE (east side).

A low stone wall along the western side of the garden, in front of the yew hedge, is inscribed + TO THE MEMORY OF ALL THOSE OF THIS TOWN AND COUNTY WHO SERVED AND DIED IN THE GREAT WAR +. A broad, flagged walkway alongside incorporates many ledger stones previously located in All Saints’ churchyard.