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478:
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38:
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630:(2008), felt that the lettering in the grass detracted from the memorial's setting. Historic England, in upgrading the memorial's listing, described it as "an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community" and "a simple yet elegant obelisk incorporating carved decoration and two heavily detailed, painted stone flags" and noted its importance as one of 58 memorials designed by Lutyens in the UK and abroad.
389:, which is in six stages of unequal size and shape. The lowest stage is incorporated into the screen wall, which narrows, forming an enclosure. Instead of the screen wall, at the front of the memorial (viewed from the north), is a flight of six shallow steps. The obelisk is approached via another two shallow steps. At the ends of the walls are bronze mounts for flags. The only sculptural features on the obelisk are two
333:
made to commemorate
Southend's casualties. At the end of the war, the town council agreed that these would be replaced with a permanent monument. A war memorial committee was founded, chaired by the mayor, to consider designs and sites. Among the proposals were a new wing for the local hospital, homes for disabled veterans, and gardens in
560:
To commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, Southend-on-Sea
Council commissioned a bronze statue of a soldier, which was installed in front of the memorial, at the south end of the lawn, in November 2019. The statue was created by a local sculptor, Dave Taylor, who intended it to
451:
The memorial is sited in a prominent position at the top of a cliff, overlooking the Thames
Estuary. A low hedge separates it from a cliff-top footpath. The monument stands in a garden off Clifftown Parade. The garden was also designed by Lutyens as part of the memorial scheme. It consists of a lawn
356:
at the top. This was rejected in favour of an obelisk, which
Lutyens designed for a fee of £5,500, and which the committee approved in 1921. Once the design was agreed, the project proceeded smoothly. To raise funds, concerts were laid on in the town and a fishing competition was held on the pier.
332:
on 28 June 1919, saw celebrations in
Southend and elsewhere. Four days of commemorative events began with a military parade in London on 19 July and on 23 July a fleet review was held in the Thames Estuary and the assembled warships fired a 21-gun salute. Multiple unofficial temporary shrines were
552:
on 23 August 1974. In
November 2015, as part of commemorations for the centenary of the First World War, Lutyens's war memorials were recognised as a national collection and all of his free-standing memorials in England were listed or had their listing status reviewed and their
203:, to design a permanent memorial as a replacement for temporary shrines. He originally proposed a cenotaph but this was rejected in favour of an obelisk rising from a screen wall. In front of the monument is a garden, also designed by Lutyens, and the words "
196:. The town was a stopping point for soldiers en route to the front and, as the war drew on, it also became an important disembarkation point for the evacuation of injured troops. This saw the conversion of several buildings in Southend into hospitals.
357:
Any surplus funds would be used to provide scholarships for children of the dead. Instead of engraving the names of the dead on the memorial, the committee decided to emboss the 1,338 names on tablets which would be fixed to the walls of
444:": "At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them". Later plaques are affixed—one to the base (above the lowest inscription), noting the recording of the names in the priory, and one from the
609:. Obelisks were a fairly common form of memorial in larger towns after the First World War, particularly in coastal locations such as Southend, given the historical use of obelisks as navigational aids for shipping.
316:
was taken over as an army training ground. As the war drew on, Southend also became an evacuation point for casualties and several hotels were converted to hospitals. The town was bombed by German
230:
in front of a large crowd. Invited guests included the mayor, local clergy, veterans from the district, and organisations which had contributed to the war effort in the area. The memorial became a
234:
in 1974. Lutyens's memorials were declared a national collection in 2015 to commemorate the centenary of the war and
Southend's was upgraded to grade II*. A statue of a soldier was added in 2019.
477:
408:
Above the laurel wreath on the north face are the dates of the two world wars in Roman numerals (the dates of the Second World War were added later). Below the laurel wreath is the dedication
305:
533:, provided a guard of honour and representatives of local organisations who were involved in the local war effort also attended. Also present were the mayor and all members of the
301:
1100:
393:
on the north and south faces of the middle stage of the pedestal. The obelisk is flanked by a pair of painted stone flags which rise from the lower stages of the pedestal—the
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1105:
537:
and several local clergy, who gave readings. Other invited guests included decorated veterans or (for the deceased) their next of kin, and representatives of the
242:
In the aftermath of the First World War, thousands of war memorials were built across
Britain. Among the most prominent designers of memorials was the architect
639:
445:
207:" are set in stone on a lawn. Instead of carving them on the memorial, the names of the 1,338 dead from Southend are recorded on plaques fixed to the walls of
1110:
545:. The bishop praised the efforts of the dead and returned servicemen but lamented the widespread unemployment and unrest which followed the end of the war.
573:
63:
565:. Historic England consider that the "contrasting yet appropriate materials will complement the existing composition, adding a further layer of meaning".
1145:
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Lutyens used obelisks in six of his war memorials in
Britain, of which Southend's was the first to be completed. It closely resembles the obelisks on
1135:
505:
423: THIS MEMORIAL
258:, but the war had a profound effect on him. Thereafter, many of his commissions involved commemorating its casualties. He became renowned for
514:
345:
341:
1043:
990:
340:
The committee commissioned
Lutyens, who first suggested a variation of The Cenotaph. A sketch for the proposal is in the archives of the
529:. The assembled crowd was one of the largest public gatherings ever recorded in the town. Soldiers from D Company of the 6th Battalion,
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381:. The obelisk tapers and rises to a height of approximately 36 feet (11 metres). It sits on a square base, below which is a moulded
37:
788:
149:
489:
649:
465:
263:
616:, the Southend obelisk has "subtle echoes" of The Cenotaph in it that other Lutyens obelisks do not. A local newspaper, the
219:. It was largely praised by art historians but one Lutyens biographer felt the lettering in the grass detracted from it.
1125:
602:
308:
and several hundred were held on three ships moored off the pier. Many soldiers passed through Southend en route to the
1017:
309:
1044:"Erect bronze statue of soldier in front of Cenotaph War Memorial (Listed Building Consent and Planning Permission)"
622:, called it a "fine memorial" and "a beautiful obelisk of Portland stone" in 1921, and the architectural historian
557:
list entries were updated and expanded. As part of this process, Southend's memorial was upgraded to Grade II*.
419: SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
211:. The memorial is one of six obelisks Lutyens designed for war memorials in Britain and closely resembles those
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223:
212:
173:
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The lower stages of the obelisk bearing the dedicatory inscriptions, with the Thames Estuary in the background
337:. The committee ultimately decided on a site at the top of the cliffs, previously the location of a flagpole.
1085:
542:
522:
431: PRITTLEWELL PRIORY
452:
surrounded by paths and flower beds and is enclosed by chains suspended from low bollards. The words "
526:
377:
Southend War Memorial consists of an obelisk surrounded on three sides by a screen wall, entirely in
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227:
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as "the leading English architect of his generation". Lutyens established his reputation building
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for wealthy clients around the turn of the twentieth century and later designed much of
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twice in May 1915. Another bombing raid in 1917 caused more damage and 33 deaths.
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praised the "remarkably subtly proportioned" base and pedestal. Tim Skelton, in
521:, at a ceremony on 27 November 1921. It was dedicated by the Right Reverend Dr
402:
394:
262:
in London, which became Britain's national memorial, and for his work for the
585:
which also support painted flags. The overall design is similar to Lutyens's
78:
65:
694:
613:
255:
429: PLACED IN THE REFECTORY AT
427: ARE RECORDED UPON A TABLET
1021:
991:"Long Awaited Soldier Sculpture Comes to Cenotaph for Remembrance Sunday"
386:
361:, a former religious building which became the town museum in the 1920s.
317:
382:
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and unveiled in 1921. Southend-on-Sea is a seaside resort famous for
572:
504:
368:
181:
98:
590:
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The laurel wreaths on the north and south faces of the memorial
328:
The formal end of the war, brought about by the signing of the
509:
The statue of a First World War-era soldier, installed in 2019
353:
456:" are formed from Portland stone chippings in the grass.
421: IN HONOURED MEMORY OF WHOM
312:. The pier was frequently used to reach troop ships and
720:(Kindle ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military.
417: THE NAMES OF THE 1338 MEN OF
964:"National Collection of Lutyens' War Memorials Listed"
412:
and at the bottom of the pedestal is the dedication:
222:
The memorial was unveiled on 27 November 1921 by the
145:
137:
129:
119:
105:
57:
49:
45:
For men from Southend killed in the First World War
25:
679:. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
199:A committee appointed Lutyens, the architect of
922:"Southend's Obelisk: Fine Memorial Dedicated".
414:
184:, in south-eastern England. It was designed by
861:"This month in history: Peace Day, July 1919"
640:Grade II* listed buildings in Southend-on-Sea
513:Southend-on-Sea War Memorial was unveiled by
446:Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women
8:
917:
915:
913:
911:
909:
699:War Memorials: From Antiquity to the Present
605:, and he used similar obelisks to flank his
460:The painted stone flags flanking the obelisk
192:, which was used by the military during the
1101:Buildings and structures in Southend-on-Sea
1018:"Life-size WW1 Statue Unveiled in Southend"
887:
885:
883:
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561:resemble a soldier on the first day of the
1096:Buildings and structures completed in 1921
1049:. Southend City Council. 13 September 2019
949:
947:
36:
22:
16:First World War memorial in Essex, England
1091:1921 establishments in the United Kingdom
937:
935:
645:Grade II* listed war memorials in England
1106:Grade II* listed monuments and memorials
789:"Southend-on-Sea War Memorial (1322329)"
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548:The memorial was designated a Grade II
458:
779:
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739:. London: Frances Lincoln Publishers.
735:Skelton, Tim; Gliddon, Gerald (2008).
899:
897:
515:Amelius Lockwood, 1st Baron Lambourne
385:. The cornice connects the base to a
342:Royal Institute of British Architects
292:; to the north was an aerodrome (now
144:
136:
128:
118:
7:
1111:Grade II* listed buildings in Essex
436:At the very bottom is a quote from
346:Royal Berkshire Regiment's memorial
304:, the British government began the
794:National Heritage List for England
587:North Eastern Railway War Memorial
555:National Heritage List for England
425:WAS ERECTED BY GRATEFUL RESIDENTS
14:
1146:World War II memorials in England
1131:Works of Edwin Lutyens in England
989:Hackett, Kloe (31 October 2019).
599:Lancashire Fusiliers War Memorial
1141:World War I memorials in England
1121:Monuments and memorials in Essex
718:Southend-on-Sea in the Great War
488:
476:
464:
612:According to the art historian
344:. It is broadly similar to the
104:
1136:War memorials by Edwin Lutyens
953:Bettley & Pevsner, p. 698.
941:Skelton & Gliddon, p. 176.
650:List of works by Edwin Lutyens
264:Imperial War Graves Commission
1:
928:. 2 December 1921. p. 6.
903:Skelton & Gliddon, p. 75.
483:The flags seen from the north
306:internment of German citizens
280:. Immediately to the east is
217:for the North Eastern Railway
495:The White Ensign (west side)
166:Southend-on-Sea War Memorial
133:Southend-on-Sea War Memorial
26:Southend-on-Sea War Memorial
272:is a seaside resort on the
1162:
471:The Union Flag (east side)
1116:Military history of Essex
737:Lutyens and the Great War
628:Lutyens and the Great War
603:Étaples Military Cemetery
397:on the west side and the
159:
155:
115:
44:
35:
30:
677:The Buildings of England
583:Northampton War Memorial
519:Lord Lieutenant of Essex
224:Lord Lieutenant of Essex
174:First World War memorial
716:Clamp, Frances (2014).
543:Naval and Military Club
352:in that it features an
290:a military installation
701:. London: Leo Cooper.
578:
510:
434:
374:
302:the declaration of war
576:
523:John Watts Ditchfield
508:
372:
226:and dedicated by the
170:Southend War Memorial
527:Bishop of Chelmsford
448:on the screen wall.
330:Treaty of Versailles
228:Bishop of Chelmsford
79:51.53423°N 0.70495°E
1126:Obelisks in England
607:Manchester Cenotaph
563:Battle of the Somme
535:borough corporation
75: /
865:The London Gazette
579:
511:
375:
359:Prittlewell Priory
335:Prittlewell Square
296:), which became a
209:Prittlewell Priory
146:Reference no.
93:Clifftown Parade,
1024:. 7 November 2019
970:. 7 November 2015
841:Clamp, pp. 32–41.
823:Clamp, pp. 16–17.
669:Pevsner, Nikolaus
410:OUR GLORIOUS DEAD
401:(the flag of the
298:naval air station
278:its pleasure pier
260:The Cenotaph
244:Sir Edwin Lutyens
190:its pleasure pier
186:Sir Edwin Lutyens
163:
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110:Sir Edwin Lutyens
84:51.53423; 0.70495
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667:Bettley, James;
624:Nikolaus Pevsner
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314:Southchurch Park
300:. Shortly after
294:Southend Airport
248:Historic England
106:Designed by
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53:27 November 1921
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438:Laurence Binyon
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405:) on the east.
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270:Southend-on-Sea
246:, described by
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232:listed building
213:for Northampton
194:First World War
178:Southend-on-Sea
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122:Listed Building
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454:lest we forget
442:For the Fallen
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391:laurel wreaths
379:Portland stone
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274:Thames Estuary
252:country houses
239:
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205:lest we forget
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141:23 August 1974
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1070:Borg, p. 88.
1051:. Retrieved
1038:
1026:. Retrieved
1012:
1000:. Retrieved
994:
984:
972:. Retrieved
958:
923:
868:. Retrieved
855:
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837:
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814:Clamp, p. 4.
810:
798:. Retrieved
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661:Bibliography
627:
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569:Appreciation
559:
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512:
450:
435:
416:
407:
399:White Ensign
376:
339:
327:
288:and home to
282:Shoeburyness
268:
241:
221:
201:The Cenotaph
198:
169:
165:
164:
20:
18:
800:21 February
124:– Grade II*
82: /
1080:Categories
974:1 February
695:Borg, Alan
656:References
403:Royal Navy
395:Union Flag
238:Background
138:Designated
67:51°32′03″N
755:Citations
614:Alan Borg
440:'s poem "
318:Zeppelins
256:New Delhi
70:0°42′18″E
1022:ITV News
996:The Echo
697:(1991).
671:(2007).
634:See also
597:for the
541:and the
387:pedestal
58:Location
50:Unveiled
1053:21 July
1028:9 April
1002:9 April
870:21 July
601:and at
501:History
383:cornice
350:Reading
172:, is a
150:1322329
743:
724:
705:
683:
517:, the
365:Design
1047:(PDF)
673:Essex
182:Essex
168:, or
99:Essex
1055:2023
1030:2023
1004:2023
976:2016
872:2023
802:2016
741:ISBN
722:ISBN
703:ISBN
681:ISBN
595:Bury
591:York
284:, a
215:and
589:in
354:urn
348:in
176:in
1082::
1063:^
1020:.
993:.
966:.
946:^
934:^
908:^
896:^
880:^
863:.
791:.
787:.
762:^
675:.
525:,
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