East Malling War Memorial

Heritage listing

Details EAST MALLING AND LARKFIELD 1347/0/10028 CORNER OF CHURCH WALK AND HIGH STREET 24-JUN-10 East Malling war memorial GV II War memorial, 1922 in stone, designed by John Ninian Comper and carved by William Drinkwater Gough DESCRIPTION: The memorial takes the form of a Gothic churchyard cross, comprising a tall octagonal stone column with a square base, stepped octagonal plinth and crenellated top, crowned by a canopy comprising four foliated ogee arches and a slender pyramidal finial. Within the arches are high-relief carvings of religious scenes (the Crucifixion, the Virgin and Child, St George and the dragon, and St Martin of Tours) and heraldic shields. On the base of the cross is carved a laurel wreath, inscribed 'TO THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919'. The names of 53 villagers killed in the First World War are inscribed on the plinth, along with a further 45 added after World War Two. HISTORY: The war memorial at East Malling was erected to commemorate village men killed in action in the First World War. It was unveiled by Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee, hero of the Battle of the Falkland Islands, at a ceremony on 31 October 1920. Further names were added to the monument to commemorate those killed in the Second World War. Sir John Ninian Comper (1864-1960) was one of the last major architects of the Gothic Revival. Born in Aberdeen, he initially trained with the glass painter CE Kempe before being articled to the great church architect GF Bodley. During his long career he designed a number of churches, the most famous being his lavish St Mary the Virgin at Wellingborough (1904-31), but the majority of his output took the form of church fittings, stained glass, vestments and monuments, executed in a style that increasingly fuse

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.