Downside School War Memorial

The Downside School War Memorial commemorates those who died during the First World War, and was subsequently altered in 1999 to include the names of those who lost their lives during the Second World War and the Malayan and Aden Emergencies; it was designed by Leonard Stokes. The memorial is constructed of local limestone.

It comprises a Calvary cross supported by a principal wall with plaques and further projecting stepped walls. Two steps provide access to the principal wall, which features a large plaque, bearing a crest, listing the names of pupils who died during the First World War. Below this are three further plaques, each headed by a crest identifying the school house to which the pupils belonged. An inscription is positioned beneath these plaques, reading: SUORUM MEMORIAE/ QUI TERRA MARI AERE/ HILARI ANIMO PRO PATRIA DIMICANTES/ CUM SIGNO FIDEI PRAECESSERUNT/ HANC CRUCEM/ MAERORIS GLORIAE SPEI DOCUMENTEM/ PIA MATER DICAVIT/ ANIMABUS IMPLORA PACEM.

The Calvary cross rises from an octagonal column and is flanked by two figures facing south-west and north-east. A figure of Christ faces north-west, surrounded by carved foliate detailing.

Two further projecting stepped walls, each with saddle-back coping, extend from the principal wall, each featuring a plaque on the north-west face listing the names of pupils who died during the Second World War, with the dates 1939-1945 inscribed beneath. A plaque on the inside of the left-hand wall commemorates K.F. McIntyre of the Seaforth Highlanders during the Malayan Emergency (1950) and J.D.E. Rose of the Foreign Office/MI6 during the Aden Emergency (1967).

The rear face of the memorial features two further plaques detailing the memorial's unveiling and subsequent rededication. The upper plaque reads: THIS MEMORIAL WAS UNVEILED/ BY COLONEL E P RIDDELL.D.S O/ ON EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 16TH 1922. The lower plaque reads: RE-DEDICATED BY/ RT REV DOM RICHARD YEO/ 11TH ABBOT OF DOWNSIDE/ UPON THE ADDITION OF NAMES/ (1939-1967)/ EASTER SUNDAY/ 23RD APRIL 2000.