The Merchant Seamen's Memorial

Heritage listing

Details This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 4 August 2025 to update the Address TQ 3380 788/21/10071 TRINITY SQUARE, EC3 The Merchant Navy Memorial, Second World War section (Formerly listed as Merchant Seamen's Memorial) GV II* Second World War memorial. 1952-55 to the designs of Edward Maufe for the Imperial War Graves Commission, as a complement to the adjoining First World War memorial by Lutyens unveiled in 1928 (already listed). The sculptor was Charles Wheeler. Portland stone walls set with bronze panels recalling the names of those who have no grave but the sea. The 8ft walls set in a sunken garden, lined with bronze panels on their inner face and at spaced intervals set with seven stone sculptured allegorical figures representing the seven seas. At the centre of this garden, mainly lawn, is a 'pool' of bronze engraved as a Mariners' compass and set to magnetic north. Around its edge stone paviours and oak seats form part of the composition. Steps ascend to the earlier war memorial, between pylons carved with above life-size figures of an officer and seaman of the merchant service. Between these and the 1914-18 memorial a stone of remembrance on a stepped plinth. Dedicatory inscription to 'The Twenty-four Thousand of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets whose names are honoured on the Walls of this Garden, gave their lives for their Country and have no grave but the sea'. The Merchant Navy Memorial, Second World War section commemorates all merchant seafarers, men and women, who served in ships registered in ports of the British commonwealth or in ships on charter to these governments, who lost their lives as a result of enemy action and who have no known grave. 23,765 men are commemorated, including 80 pilots and lighthousemen and 832 fishermen.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.