Southampton Cenotaph

Entrance to park
Watts (West) Park
Above Bar Street
Southampton
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 7DW
England

OS Grid Ref: SU 41919 12414
Denomination: Undefined

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Description

Cenotaph tapering to a carved casket on which is the recumbent effigy of a dead solider. Carved lions flank the base of the casket on the east face. A cross of sacrifice is carved in relief on the north and south face. The east and west faces have the arms of southampton. Wreaths enclose emblems of army, navy, merchant marine and air force. To the west is a stone of remembrance and to the east two pillars, surmounted by fir cones (symbols of eternity). These are joined by a seat and wall, on which is the inscription. The names are incised on the north, south and west face of the cenotaph plinth. A wall of green glass panels flank the cenotaph and bear the names of the fallen. This wall was added in 2011.

Inscription

Cenotaph: OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ (Names) Wall: (Names)

Inscription legible?

Commemorations

First World War (1914-1918)
Total names on memorial: 2368
Served and returned: 0
Died: 2368
Exact count: yes
Information shown: Surname, forename, middle name
Order of information: Alphabetical by surname
Korean War (1950-1953)
Total names on memorial: 1
Served and returned: 0
Died: 1
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname,forename
Order of information: surname
Malayan Emergency (1948-1960)
Total names on memorial: 1
Served and returned: 0
Died: 1
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname,forename
Order of information: surname
Mau Mau Uprising (1952-1960)
Total names on memorial: 1
Served and returned: 0
Died: 1
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname,forename
Order of information: surname
Second World War (1939-1945)
Total names on memorial: 927
Served and returned: 0
Died: 927
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname,forename
Order of information: surname

Components

Wall
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Glass
Cenotaph
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Stone - Portland

Listing information

Southampton Cenotaph
Grade I
This memorial is protected, and listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. View list entry
More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website

Condition

Southampton Cenotaph
WMO ID: 120533
Condition: Fair [last updated on 14-11-2019]
Help update these details if the condition is wrong

History

2011: Glass wall with names added. 2005: Discussions taking place to construct a separate wall with the names, as they had become illegible. 2000: Weathering found to be exasperated by the stone used, which encloses a brick interior. 1999: WW2 names added 1995: Proposal to add WW2 names 1988: Weathering to inscription and names

Costs

Site: £10,000
Comments: £26-16-0 for cutting the letters for the names on the Cenotaph.

Trust fund/Scholarship

No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A

Responsibility

Southampton borough council

Reference

Other website www.southampton.gov.uk/s-leisure/artsheritage/history/cenotaph.aspx 'Cenotaph - How the names got on the Memorial Wall' Dr Paul Everill and Dr A D Russel
City Archives, Southampton City Council, November 2011, 'Southampton's Fallen Heroes as inscribed on the walls of the Cenotaph in Watts Park'
Cornerstone, Vol 30, No1 2009, Page 11, 'Goodbyee- £7 a letter is too much to preserve war names' Laurence Weedy
Southampton Hants, 1998 Southampton's Cenotaph
Daily Telegraph 27 Oct. 2009 Article: 'War memorials left to fade and crumble'. Southampton's memorial names had become illegible, but it would be too expensive to re engrave them so a wall with names was planned.
The Legion page 63,2009 Autumn
At the going down of the sun: British First World War Memorials by Boorman, Derek 121 Source: Image Library NIWM Published: Sessions 1988 YORK

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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