Bath War Memorial

Heritage listing

Details ROYAL AVENUE 656-1/30/142 War Memorial GV II War memorial. 1923. By Sir Reginald Blomfield. MATERIALS: Portland limestone ashlar to cross, Bath limestone ashlar to steps and memorial. Tall central cross `Cross of Sacrifice' on octagonal plinth of diminishing tiers, carrying a bronze sword set into the front face. The front of the plinth bears the inscription 'STAY AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED FOR YOU'. Behind the cross are two flights of steps leading to a paved platform, in front of which are Roman style bronze railings: the finials consist of seated lions based on Alfred Stevens's similar figures designed for the Duke of Wellington monument in St Paul's Cathedral. Behind is a semi-circular screen wall stepped up to the centre. This carries a bronze shield with the City arms, and a scrolled inscription either side, reading `THEY DIED FOR US. MEN OF BATH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918¿. Beneath, in centre of curved wall, are five bronze panels carrying names of the men of Bath who fell in the First World War; beneath are five smaller tablets (recently added) with the names of the Second World War dead. Their names (together with the names of Bath's civilian dead) were originally recorded only in Books of Remembrance, kept in the Abbey and in St John's R.C. Church. Smaller bronze panels flanking the lists of WW1 dead commemorate the sacrifices made in WW2 by Civil Defence, Special Constabulary and civilians. Either side of the screen wall are piers with rusticated sides and embellished with wreaths. Further modern tablets have been added recently, listing the name of a soldier killed in conflicts since 1945 (to left) and the name of a WW1 casualty omitted from the original roll call (to right). HISTORY: Blomfield was one of Principal Architects for Imperial W

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.