Building record 0649701000 - War Memorials in Amersham Garden of Remembrance

Grade II. War memorials for World War I (1921 by Philip M Johnstone) and World War II (1949, designer unknown).
DESCRIPTION: The World War I memorial is of Portland stone and consists of an ornate floreate cross bearing a figure of Christ on a tall slender shaft with chamfered edges containing a foliate design and topped by an octagonal capital with floral carvings. The shaft surmounts a square plinth with chamfered corners and octagonal top section supported by a two-step base, the larger lower step having blind Gothic style tracery. The whole is enclosed by a low free-standing moulded Portland stone surround on a paved surface. An inter-war photograph of the memorial in its original
location shows the surround to have been an original feature of the design.
The incised inscription on the south face of the plinth in a Gothic script reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND lN MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF AMERSHAM WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR FOR FREEDOM. Above this at the foot of the shaft is the date A.D./ 1914-19. The names of the 80 fallen of World War I are recorded on the remaining sides of the plinth.
Just to the north of the World War I memorial is the rectangular bronze plaque, set into a projection of the brick boundary wall (the listing includes the projection but not the remainder of the boundary wall), commemorating the fallen of World War ll. The inscription reads: THIS GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE IS LAID OUT/ IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THOSE FROM THIS/ PARISH WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN/ THE WORLD WAR 1939-1945 with the names of the 60 fallen below.
HISTORY: Amersham War Memorial was dedicated on 10 July1921 by the Lord Bishop of Buckingham and unveiled by Brigadier-General RJ Cooper on a site just to the south-east of St Mary's Church. The memorial was designed by a local architect, Philip M Johnstone, who had earlier designed the war memorial in Tring, and built by The Art Memorial company. In 1949 the memorial was relocated to a new Garden of Remembrance, laid out to the east of the church and which included, as well as the World War II memorial plaque, a pool with a fountain and a pavilion. This was opened by General Sir Bernard Paget.
SOURCES: United Kingdom National Inventory of War Memorials - References 8116 and 8117.
REASONS FOR DESiGNATION: The World War I and World War II war memorials in the Amersham Garden of Remembrance are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest: The World War I memorial is an ornate example of the oft-used market cross style of memorial with well executed Arts and Crafts influenced floral and Gothic tracery detailing;
Historic Interest: as poignant reminders of the tragic impact of world events on this community (B2).
See also UK National index of War Memorials (B3).
Photos of war memorial and details of the war dead (B4).