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Little Berkhamsted
Town or City: Little Berkhamsted
County: Hertfordshire
Country: England
WMT Reference Number: WM1918
Value of grant: £1440.00
Type of memorial: Freestanding
Type of work: Conservation and repair
Grant scheme: English Heritage/Wolfson Foundation Grants
Year: 2006
UKNIWM reference number: 1124
The Grade II listed war memorial in the southern Hertfordshire village of Little Berkhamsted is built to the design of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice. It is a Portland stone cross with a bronze sword attached to the shaft, which stands on an octagonal two-stepped plinth on a three-stepped base. The memorial is on a grass triangle at the junction of Church Road, Robin's Nest Hill and Little Berkhamsted Lane, adjacent to St Andrew’s church. The names of parishoners killed in the two world wars are inscribed on the faces of the upper plinth.
In 2006/7 English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation gave a grant of £1,440 for work to clean the stone, to rake out and re-point the joints, to replace some damaged stone on four of the steps,to poultice clean the bronze sword and to clean the copper run-off from the shaft of the cross.
The World War I dedication on the memorial reads:
"1914-1918
Erected by the
parishioners of
Little Berkhampstead
in grateful
remembrance
Faithful
unto death"
The World War I fallen commemorated are John Barnacott, Edward Beacher, Henry Gaylor, James Gaylor, Albert Haynes, Walter Lashford, Charles Parkins, John Ruthven and Arthur Tyler.
In 1946 further inscriptions were added:
"1939 – 1945
The following
made the
supreme sacrifice
for the cause of
freedom and justice"
The men commemorated are Patrick Baring, David Jacobsen, Ernest Lawman, Percy Lummas, Stephen C. Rochford, Alfred Savill and John A. Smith.
The memorial was dedicated on the afternoon of Sunday 27 February 1921. It was unveiled by Sir Brodie Henderson KCMG. A special service was held at the parish church and then there was a procession to the memorial, led by the choir who were followed by ex-servicemen and relatives of the fallen.
Further information
War Memorials Trust reference WM1918
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 1124
Heritage Gateway listing record: 356194
If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org
