Surbiton War Memorial

Heritage listing

Details DETAILS: The stone memorial consists of a tall cross set in a memorial garden on Ewell Road. The wheel-head cross with a moulded foot surmounts a tapering octagonal shaft. That stands on an octagonal plinth. The moulded foot of the plinth stands on a three-stepped base. The base is surrounded by an octagonal pavement, marked to the front by two low bollards. These bollards originally bore stone urns and the garden was demarcated from the pavement by a low railing, now replaced by a hedge. The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the plinth reads THE/ URBAN DISTRICT OF/ SURBITON/ WAR MEMORIAL./ IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS/ DISTRICT WHO DIED FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-1918./ AND THAT OF 1939-1945./ “LEST WE FORGET.” The commemorated names are recorded on the other faces of the plinth. Below the principal dedication, placed on the top step of the base, the bronze plaque dedicated to those who lost their lives during the Second World War reads THIS MEMORIAL GARDEN WAS EXTENDED/ IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL IN/ WORLD WAR II AND WHOSE NAMES ARE/ INSCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE/ LODGED IN THE CENTRAL LIBRARY/ 11TH NOVEMBER 1952./ Small stone vases have been placed on the stepped base. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Behind the memorial the cairn of stones from the Church of St Mark, bearing a commemorative plaque, stands at the rear boundary of the garden. The inscription reads THIS CAIRN IS OF STONE/ FROM THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARK/ WHICH WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY BOMBING/ ON THE NIGHT OF 2ND OCTOBER 1940. Either side are two brick walls, each carrying a large steel plaque. The plaques are inscribed IN COMMEMORATION OF/ WORLD WAR II/ 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES)/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. The new (2015) stone plinth and tablet commemorating D

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.