Gillingham War Memorial

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Gillingham War Memorial
United Kingdom
Gillingham War Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 3303361.jpg
The memorial on 19 January 2013
For Residents of Gillingham who died in the First World War, Second World War, and Korean War
Unveiled20th July 1924 by Alderman W.H. Griffin JP
Location 51°23′23″N0°32′31″E / 51.389667°N 0.542000°E / 51.389667; 0.542000
Junction of Brompton Road and Mill Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1HL

near 
Designed by Francis William Doyle-Jones
Website Gillingham War Memorial, Historic England
TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS BOROUGH WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR KING & COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1919 AND WORLD WAR 1939–1945 KOREAN WAR 1950–1953
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameGillingham War Memorial
Designated26 February 2016
Reference no. 1433120

The Gillingham War Memorial, also referred to as the Black Lion Memorial [1] [2] and the Medway Park War Memorial, [3] [4] [5] [6] is a Grade II listed war memorial situated at the junction of Mill Road and Brompton Road in Gillingham, Kent, England. [7] It commemorates the men and women of the former Borough of Gillingham who gave their lives in the First World War, and was later updated to honour those who died in the Second World War and the Korean War. [8] [9] Prominently located near the entrance to Medway Park, the memorial remains a focal point for remembrance in the Medway towns. [10]

Contents

Photograph of the Gillingham War Memorial at its original Mill Road Junction site, unveiled 20 July 1924. Gillingham War Memorial 1924 Postcard.png
Photograph of the Gillingham War Memorial at its original Mill Road Junction site, unveiled 20 July 1924.

Unveiled on 20 July 1924 by Alderman W.H. Griffin JP, with a dedication by the Right Reverend Harmer, Bishop of Rochester, [11] the memorial originally stood at the centre of a road junction where High Street, Mill Road, Brompton Road, and Marlborough Road met. In this original location, it occupied a small gated garden surrounded by four entrances, creating an enclosed and ceremonial space at the heart of what was then known as Mill Road Junction. [12] [13] [10] At the time, the surrounding area included Black Lion Field, an open space that had not yet been developed into the sports complex known today as Medway Park. [14] [15] [16]

The memorial itself is a tall, tapering stone pylon, designed by sculptor Francis William Doyle-Jones, who was renowned for his public monuments and commemorative work. The pylon stands on a two-stage pedestal with a two-stepped base and features sculptural roundels on its faces.

By the 1960s, although the memorial still stood at the junction, growing traffic and changes to urban planning made its location less suitable. The junction remained active, and the enclosed garden around the memorial was still present. However, as road layouts and the surrounding infrastructure evolved, the decision was made in the early 1970s to relocate the memorial across the road to its present site near the entrance of the soon-to-be-built Black Lion Leisure Centre (later renamed Medway Park). [17] This move was intended to improve both public access and safety, allowing the memorial to be better integrated into the civic environment.

The Gillingham War Memorial was officially listed as a Grade II structure on 24 February 2016 under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, [18] recognising its architectural and historic significance. [10] Today, it remains one of the most prominent war memorials in the Medway area and continues to serve as a central site for Remembrance Day events and community commemoration. [10] [3] [19]

Designation

Gillingham War Memorial (31 January 2009) situated in its previous setting before the 2012 improvement scheme (MC/12/0329) War Memorial, Mill Rd - geograph.org.uk - 1145055.jpg
Gillingham War Memorial (31 January 2009) situated in its previous setting before the 2012 improvement scheme (MC/12/0329)

Historic England added the Gillingham War Memorial to the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II listed building in February 2016. The listing process was initiated under Historic England’s First World War centenary programme. In January 2016 the agency informed Medway Council that the memorial would be considered for listing as part of its response to the WWI centenary. [21] An official listing application (Reference 1432945) was submitted on 25 January 2016, [22] noting that Gillingham’s cenotaph commemorates the town’s First World War dead and was being assessed in the centenary context. [23]

Following the consultation period, Historic England’s advisers recommended the memorial for Grade II status. In a 23 February 2016 advice report they noted that the memorial is “an elegant war memorial by noted sculptor F.W. Doyle-Jones” and concluded that it had “special architectural and historical interest” and met the criteria for listing. [24] The report formally recommended adding the memorial to the List at Grade II, highlighting its historic interest as “an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community” and its architectural interest as a finely designed memorial by Doyle-Jones. [25]

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport approved the recommendation in late February 2016. A letter dated 24 February 2016 confirmed that “the Secretary of State has decided to add Gillingham War Memorial to the List” and that it is “now listed at Grade II”. [26] The entry (NHLE List Entry No. 1433120) was published on the NHLE shortly thereafter (effective 25 February 2016) and recorded as designated on 26 February 2016. The official list entry reiterates the reasons for listing, citing the memorial’s historic interest and architectural merit. [24]

Further enhancements

2012: Public realm works and memorial setting at Medway Park

In 2012, further enhancements were made to the area surrounding the war memorial. As part of a broader improvement scheme for Medway Park, planning application MC/12/1547 was submitted and approved to fulfill a condition of earlier permission MC/11/1830. The development included the creation of a new public square encompassing the war memorial. This included the installation of new seating, planting, and boundary wall treatments, as well as a direct access route into Medway Park Sports Centre. [20] These improvements helped define the current setting of the memorial, establishing it within a landscaped civic space that highlights its importance and improves its visibility for public ceremonies and individual reflection. [27]

Inscriptions

At its base sits a small commemorative vase inscribed by the Royal British Legion: “WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.” [10]

TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS BOROUGH WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR KING & COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1919 AND WORLD WAR 1939–1945 KOREAN WAR 1950–1953

References

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