Guy's Hospital War Memorial

Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL

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Overview

War memorial arch, unveiled in 1921. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1449960
Date first listed:: 09-Jan-2019
List Entry Name:: Guy's Hospital War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1449960
Date first listed:: 09-Jan-2019
List Entry Name:: Guy's Hospital War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Kings College London, Guy's Campus, 18-20 Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: Southwark (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ3273179959

Summary

War memorial arch, unveiled in 1921.

Reasons for Designation

Guy’s Hospital War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest: * as a dignified and imposing stone arch war memorial.

Historic interest: * as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Guy's Hospital in Southwark as a permanent testament to the sacrifices made by the members of the local community. Designed by William Walford, the memorial takes the form of a Portland stone arch, which originally had a colonnade attached to either side. The memorial was unveiled by HRH the Duke of York, KG, later King George VI, at a ceremony on 16 July 1921. The memorial commemorates 144 students and members of staff of Guy’s Hospital and medical school who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War, the names of 94 more individuals were added. The memorial was originally located on Great Maze Pond, adjacent to the south-east end of the main hospital building. In the early 1990s the colonnades were removed and the arch was moved approximately 100m south-west to its present location. A rededication ceremony was held on 11 November 1994.

Details

War memorial arch, unveiled in 1921.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands approximately 3.6m tall, on a slightly raised platform at the southern end of a small garden square, within the hospital grounds. The north face of the arch bears the inscription THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE / 1914 - 1919, with the shield of Guy's Hospital to either side. The faces of the piers beneath are inscribed with the names of the fallen.

The south side of the arch bears the inscription ERECTED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE GUY'S MEN WHO / GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR. 1914 – 1919, with 1939 and 1945 inscribed to either side of the arch underneath. Again, the shield of Guy’s Hospital is present to either side, with the piers beneath inscribed with the names of the fallen.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorial Register, accessed 24 September 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/135
London Remembers: Guy's War Memorial, accessed 24 September 2018 from https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/guy-s-war-memorial

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.