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COMMONWEALTH GRAVES COMMISSION AND MEMORIALS IN

A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and FOREWORD

BY VICTORIA WALLACE, DIRECTOR GENERAL COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION, AND DUNCAN WILSON OBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF HISTORIC ENGLAND

IMAGES Right: Victoria Wallace, Director General, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Far right: Duncan Wilson OBE, Chief Executive, Historic England

Having marked the any people assume that war to be changed. This document sets out graves exist only on battlefields. In the common understanding of our anniversary of the Armistice Mfact, there are over 300,000 war two organisations of that obligation to we are delighted to be graves in the UK, all in the Commission’s record names of casualties correctly publishing this joint Policy care, spread across 13,000 locations. on memorials, acknowledging the tricky As the Commission starts its balancing act between this and the Statement between the second century of operation, it stands as principles of conservation. Commonwealth War Graves guardian of an important historic estate This statement is therefore the in England, with sites and structures result of much collaboration between the Commission and Historic designed by some of the leading Commission and Historic England, and is England setting out our architects of the last century. Some of a testament to our shared commitment. shared understanding of how these are now listed. Many more are We both hope it will benefit planning and not listed but contain identical features, authorities around the country, CWGC memorials and repeated across the country. The Royal as well as the staff and contractors of the constructed features in Charter declares its responsibility to CWGC and Historic England. be “in perpetuity”; to achieve that, England’s cemeteries are to the structures and buildings need to VICTORIA WALLACE be cared for and managed. be constantly maintained. This policy DIRECTOR GENERAL, statement agrees the processes which COMMONWEALTH WAR the Commission will adopt, with Historic GRAVES COMMISSION England support, to offer that care, and a heritage strategy to guide the work. DUNCAN WILSON OBE CWGC monuments are subject CHIEF EXECUTIVE, to less change than most listed buildings; HISTORIC ENGLAND they still carry out their original role and the most frequent alterations are likely to relate to making sure their inscriptions remain legible. Sometimes there are errors or additional names which need

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 2 INTRODUCTION

It is sometimes hard for a modern audience – one that has grown up with remembrance of the war dead – to appreciate how revolutionary the concept was in 1918.

he memorialisation programme memorial, who is responsible for its Commonwealth War Graves Commission that resulted after the First World care, and what controls are necessary (CWGC) is responsible. It also recognises TWar forever changed the way in to ensure that care meets both function the historic significance and care the which those who died in the service of (i.e. commemorates the individual/s CWGC affords its commemorative their country would be remembered. It for whom the memorial was built) and estate, and that there exists a shared and resulted in both a commemorative and our responsibilities to such structures agreed understanding between CWGC artistic legacy of which we can be proud. as works of art in their own right. and Historic England as to how the built A century on, and the care of war Their historic, architectural and artistic elements will be cared for and managed graves and memorials is a well-accepted significance must also be considered. in the future. principle. And yet there is confusion This document details the different as to what constitutes a or structures and memorials for which the

IMAGES Far left: Morwenstow, Cornwall. St Morwenna and St John the Bapist Churchyard has six war graves from both World . 90% of CWGC sites in the UK have fewer than 10 war graves. Top: City Cemetery contains 181 Commonwealth burials from the First World War and 829, (including 3 unidentified), from the Second World War. Left: City of Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park. Many of the 728 war dead buried or commemorated in this cemetery died in Bethnal Green Hospital. A Screen Wall commemorates those buried in the cemetery whose graves could not be marked by headstones and those who were cremated in the City of London Crematorium.

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 3 INTRODUCTION (CONTINUED)

THE PURPOSE OF THE JOINT POLICY STATEMENT

The CWGC and Historic England have a common understanding of the way in which the built elements of the CWGC’s cemeteries and memorials are conserved and cared for in England.

The CWGC’s estate has architectural and historic interest in their care. It will serve as guidance for local authority and some sites and memorials have been individually listed. planning, conservation and highways staff; for those involved The CWGC was established by Royal Charter to preserve in managing change for local amenity societies; for interest these memorials in perpetuity and the majority of the groups; and for the general public. constructed features within them are recurring. The CWGC will ensure that all those within the While buildings are usually listed for their individual organisation who have responsibilities in connection with special architectural or historic interest, there are cases cemeteries and memorials are aware of this document and where a building is listed primarily to ensure that examples that it forms CWGC official policy. It will be drawn to the of a particular type are preserved. In such a comparative attention of any contractors or sub-contractors undertaking exercise, listing is selective where a substantial number work on the CWGC’s estate in England. of buildings of a similar type and quality survive, with the Third parties – such as cemetery/churchyard authorities Secretary of State listing only the most representative or – will also be referred to this document. The CWGC also significant examples of the type. The most important historic undertakes to ensure that the policy is brought to the attention designed landscapes are included on the Historic England of those who need to be aware of it on a regular basis. Register of Historic Parks and Gardens but this document is The CWGC operates throughout the UK (and in over largely concerned with built elements alone. 150 countries and territories around the world), however This Policy Statement establishes a shared this Policy Statement specifically refers to its sites in England. understanding of how the CWGC’s built elements will be cared for and managed. It recognises that most of the features of CWGC sites, and those CWGC features outside their sites, such as memorial headstones in churchyards and cemeteries, are of largely standard design and construction. The CWGC cares for many thousands of them across the world and it is therefore not necessary or desirable for individual examples to be listed, except in exceptional cases. This Policy Statement also seeks to establish a common understanding of the CWGC’s on-going responsibilities to ensure that the names of casualties are correctly recorded on those memorials which are listed. Adding and amending names and details of casualties is a continual process as new and corrected information is verified by the organisation, The Brookwood 1939–1945 Memorial commemorates nearly particularly on collective memorials. This responsibility 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth was given in the Commission’s Royal Charter and Historic who died during the Second World War and have no known grave. England does not consider that amendments constitute The Memorial was designed by Ralph Hobday and unveiled by The Queen in 1958. It is Grade II listed. works which affect the architectural or historic interest of those memorials which are listed. This joint Policy Statement will serve as a code and guide for CWGC staff responsible for the management and maintenance of war grave monuments and memorials

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 4 THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION – A BRIEF HISTORY

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) was largely the creation of one remarkable man – Fabian Arthur Goulstone Ware (1869–1949).

IMAGES Far left: Tidworth Military Cemetery, contains 562 war dead of both World Wars, many of whom died in military hospitals near Salisbury Plain. Left: In St Pancras Cemetery, London, over 100 graves from both wars form a war graves plot within the larger cemetery. There are also a large number of scattered graves and a memorial.

are had been an educator as literary adviser; the architects , would commemorate those of and a newspaper editor Lutyens, Herbert Baker and Reginald all faiths and none. Wbefore the war. At the age Blomfield; Leslie MacDonald Gill for his In 1938, the last of the of 45 when the war broke out he was expertise on lettering; Arthur Hill from Commission’s Great considered too old for active service. the Royal Horticultural Society at Kew was completed. Just one year later, Nonetheless he felt duty bound to serve to advise on planting, and others. After the Second World War would call in some capacity and in September 1914 much debate they settled on a form of on the CWGC again – this time to he travelled to France with the British commemoration that is now familiar commemorate a new generation of Red Cross. and accepted the world over – even if fallen servicemen and women. The war Ware was immediately struck by at the time it was highly controversial. would expand the Commission’s task the scale and savagery of the war. Many In particular, a number of remarkable globally but by the mid-1960s, the work of those who died were not buried at all decisions were taken which profoundly was complete and the Commission – their bodies left in no man’s land. For influenced the approach taken and the changed the ‘Imperial’ in its name to those bodies that were buried, no system commemorative landscape maintained ‘Commonwealth’ to better reflect the or organisation was in place to mark or by the CWGC today. post-war world. record their graves. The apparent lack of It was decided that everyone should Today, the CWGC is responsible care was distressing families at home and be commemorated by name and that for the commemoration of 1.7 million demoralising those serving at the front. the form of commemoration should be war dead – caring for their graves and So was born the idea of establishing an equal – with no distinction on account memorials at 23,000 locations in more independent organisation that would of military or civil rank, race or creed. than 150 countries and territories. The seek permanent commemoration of the It would mean that the dead would be work was and still is well supported, both dead, and reflect the contribution and buried where they fell, officers next to politically and financially, by the CWGC’s sacrifice of all those from Great Britain other ranks, side by side in reflection six member governments of , and her Empire. of a common sacrifice for a common , , , With the support of the Prince of goal. This would lead to the creation of and the UK – each of whom pays an , Ware submitted a memorandum cemeteries and memorials in almost annual sum to the CWGC in proportion to the Imperial War Conference of 1917, every corner of the world. But it would to the number of graves that nation has. suggesting such an organisation to carry also dictate the form of these places In all but a few cases, construction on the work of marking and caring for the and, in particular, the use of a headstone has given way to conservation and graves of the fallen once the war was over. rather than a cross to mark the graves. maintenance but as the CWGC enters It was unanimously approved, and by Royal Records and registers were created its second century, its work in keeping Charter on 21 May 1917 the Imperial War and kept. Memorials were constructed alive the memory of those who died is Graves Commission was created. for those with no known grave. as relevant today as when it was founded Ware enlisted the help of some of Blomfield’s would in 1917. the best artistic minds available to realise represent the faith of the majority and his vision – the author the , designed by

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 5 THE CWGC IN ENGLAND – WHAT TO LOOK FOR

When most people think of the Commission’s work, they tend to think of the large military cemeteries and memorials in France and . Yet the CWGC cares for the graves and memorials of more than 300,000 servicemen and women who died in the two World Wars at nearly 13,000 locations in the .

his is the highest total of World were killed in action in the air or at sea a registered charity, provides advice and War commemorations in any in coastal waters. For most of these some grant funding for work to conserve Tcountry, other than France. casualties, the UK was their home. such war memorials. The in Chances are there is a war grave no more The CWGC is not responsible for , London, was designed by than a few miles from your front door. the care of local and civic war memorials Sir Edwin Lutyens but is within the care The majority of those – which were largely funded by public or of English Heritage and, again, lies outside commemorated in the United Kingdom private subscription. These will generally the scope of this document. are service personnel who died at home be within the care of a church, parish or in military hospitals. Others died in local authority and lie outside of the scope training accidents or air raids and some of this document. War Memorials Trust,

HOW DO YOU RECOGNISE THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF SITE THE CWGC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR?

In the UK, CWGC sites fall broadly into five distinct types:

CWGC WAR CEMETERIES The CWGC owns a small number of cemeteries in England. They contain just over 10,000 war graves and the largest is the Brookwood Military Cemetery, . These cemeteries have architectural and landscape design similar to CWGC sites seen overseas.

Covering a huge area, Brookwood Military Cemetery is the largest CWGC cemetery in the United Kingdom. The cemetery contains the graves of more than 1,600 war dead of the from the First World War and over 3,470 from the Second World War.

WAR GRAVE PLOTS WITHIN MILITARY CEMETERIES There are a number of military cemeteries in the UK, containing the graves of service personnel who died outside the two World Wars. These are owned and cared for by the Ministry of Defence. Some of these cemeteries also contain war graves that are the responsibility of the CWGC.

Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, near Folkestone, belongs to the Ministry of Defence. The Cemetery contains 471 First World War burials, more than 300 of them Canadian, and 81 war dead of the Second World War.

continued overleaf COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 6 THE CWGC IN THE UK – WHAT TO LOOK FOR (CONTINUED)

WAR GRAVE PLOTS IN CIVIL CEMETERIES AND CHURCHYARDS A larger number of war graves are gathered together in defined plots within cemeteries owned or operated by local authorities, churches or sometimes even by private companies or individuals. It is their responsibility to care for the cemetery as a whole, with the CWGC caring for the war graves. There are about 600 of these plots, which contain 20,000 graves between them, for example Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. These are often landscaped in characteristic CWGC style and in many you will see the Cross of Sacrifice and, in some larger sites, the Stone During the First World War a hospital was set up in Oxford. Oxford (Botley) of Remembrance. Cemetery contains 156 burials from the First World War. It was designated a Royal Air Force regional cemetery during the Second World War. The architectural features of the plot were designed by .

SCATTERED WAR GRAVES Individual graves account for the great majority of war burials in the UK – with 90% of sites where the CWGC have a commitment having fewer than 10 war graves. Border planting is not possible on individual graves within these sites. These graves are found in every type of burial ground – including many local churchyards. The majority are marked with Commission headstones but a significant number, more than 37,000, are marked by private memorials chosen by relatives at the time. The CWGC does not own or maintain private memorials Scattered graves in St Mary’s parish churchyard Appledore, . but does monitor the legibility of the casualty’s name to The churchyard contains 11 CWGC identified casualties from the ensure they are remembered properly. First and Second World Wars.

MEMORIALS TO THE MISSING More than 130,000 missing naval and air force casualties are commemorated on the large naval memorials at Chatham, and , the Memorial, London, the at , the Naval Memorial and the Lowestoft Naval Memorial, all of which are directly cared for by the CWGC. The memorials were often the work of major architects and designers, and all of the CWGC’s major memorials in the UK are listed. This policy agreement does not specifically relate to these sites, though the principles of it with respect to their care and maintenance still apply. The on the Hoe, overlooking Plymouth Sound, commemorates more than 7,200 naval personnel of the First World War and nearly 16,000 of the Second World War who were lost or buried at sea. It was designed by Sir with sculpture by Henry Poole.

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 7 RECURRING ELEMENTS

There is much variety in the CWGC’s cemeteries and memorials, often depending on local or local materials.

owever, there are two repeating The CROSS OF SACRIFICE, who were buried in cemeteries where elements, the Stone of designed by Sir , had its local regulations prevented the marking HRemembrance and the Cross of beginnings in the thought that a second of individual graves. There are nearly Sacrifice, designed for the CWGC and memorial was needed to augment 230 sites in the UK which have a screen used across the world. They are located Lutyens’ Stone of Remembrance. wall and a further 40 containing special in the directly maintained cemeteries and Designed to be flexible in allowing for memorials with bronze plaques. in larger war grave plots. four versions – 14 feet, 18 feet, 20 feet The standard CWGC HEADSTONE The STONE OF REMEMBRANCE and 24 feet high – there are nearly 400 is 76 cm high, 38 cm wide and 7.6 cm was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens as a Crosses of Sacrifice in the UK and nearly thick. There are many different stone memorial feature for all larger cemeteries 1,400 installed in CWGC cemeteries types in use but in England they are (usually of 1,000 burials or more). around the world. The majority are predominantly , slate, A great ‘altar stone’ as Lutyens referred Portland stone, granite or sandstone, with granite or Stancliffe sandstone. A specific to it, it was intended to commemorate a bronze sword fixed to the cross. There font was developed for the headstones those of all faiths and none, and act as a is virtually no deviation from the standard after the First World War by MacDonald symbol of common sacrifice. There are design aside from the stone type. Gill and it is noted for its simplicity and thirteen Stones of Remembrance in the Some cemeteries contain SCREEN legibility. The form of the headstone was UK at twelve sites (two are located in WALLS bearing the names of individuals also severely practical, the rounded top Brookwood Military Cemetery); all are who were cremated, whose graves shedding water more easily. made of Portland stone. could not be found or maintained, or

The Stone of CROSS OF Remembrance was SACRIFICE designed by Lutyens to be of a single block The Cross of Sacrifice has of stone. Each is 3.5 proportions that place it close in metres in length and terms of general aesthetic to the 1.5 metres high and sits Celtic cross. The short cross arms, on three shallow steps. fairly close to the top of the shaft, Lutyens employed are designed to be exactly one-third entasis on all the of the length of the shaft. The shaft is horizontal and vertical tapered using the optical correction edges – there are no STONE OF REMEMBRANCE technique of entasis and both the straight lines anywhere shaft and cross arms are octagonal. on the structure.

SCREEN WALLS

Screen walls, such as this one in Nottingham General Cemetery, record names of individuals CWGC Portland who were cremated headstones in Harrogate or where local (Stonefall) Cemetery, regulations prevented North Yorkshire. the marking of individual graves. CWGC HEADSTONE

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 8 MANAGING THE CWGC ESTATE – A CONSERVATION APPROACH TO COMMEMORATION

“The biggest single bit of work since any of the Pharaohs and they only worked in their own country.” Rudyard Kipling

The biggest single bit of work preserving the wider significance they since any of the Pharaohs and they have in their own right – even as “only worked in their own country” works of art. is how Rudyard Kipling described the The CWGC ROYAL CHARTER Commission’s building programme defines its mission as being “in perpetuity” after the First World War. It was no but no buildings last forever, unaltered exaggeration. CWGC cemeteries and and pristine, without intervention. memorials are found on every continent The CWGC estate is of international except Antarctica and represent a unique importance and is maintained by commemorative, cultural, horticultural detailed condition surveys on a rolling and architectural heritage. programme every five years, highlighting The challenge, a century on, is the need for any repairs or maintenance Portland headstones and Cross of finding a balance between maintaining and identifying priorities. Sacrifice in Fort Pitt Military Cemetery, these places, so that they fulfil the This is supported by a Heritage Rochester, function they were designed for, Strategy which sets out six Heritage and understanding, maintaining and Principles:

HERITAGE PRINCIPLES

EQUALITY OF The sites Commemorations The HERITAGE The historic The cemeteries TREATMENT must have a must be VALUE of estate will be and memorials of the dead SENSE OF LEGIBLE the historic SUSTAINABLY MUST LOOK and missing is DIGNITY AND estate must be MANAGED CARED FOR of paramount INSPIRATION preserved for importance future generations

Where appropriate, the significance resources, the use of which is neither necessary, replacing headstones. of the site is identified through a environmentally sustainable nor However, the conservation approach Conservation Management Plan or a desirable – CWGC seeks to conserve ensures headstones are only replaced Conservation Statement prior to major the structures, but remain true to the when absolutely necessary – the work taking place and to guide its principle of commemorating the names CWGC has developed Headstone maintenance strategy. of the fallen in perpetuity. Legibility Guidance for its staff to avoid The aim of CWGC’s Heritage The same thinking has been applied unnecessary replacement – and re- Strategy is to ensure that any required to the most visible sign of CWGC’s engraving in situ is the preferred method intervention is identified well in advance, work – the one million plus headstones for prolonging the “life” of headstones for prioritised accordingly and, when that mark the graves of the fallen around decades to come. implemented, is done so sympathetically the world. The same is true of the CWGC’s and with awareness of the “significance” The legibility of headstones and gardening landscape, as neither the of the site in the wider historical, cultural inscriptions on panels is key to the horticulture nor the structures can and commemorative context. commemoration of the war dead, and be looked at in isolation – each being Rather than a process of continual consequently the Commission devotes integral to the overall effect of the site replacement and renewal of materials considerable time and resource to on visitors. The CWGC’s Conservation – many (like headstones) being finite inspecting, re-engraving and, where Statements and Conservation continued overleaf

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 9 MANAGING THE CWGC ESTATE – A CONSERVATION APPROACH TO COMMEMORATION (CONTINUED)

Management Plans safeguard the and added to the CWGC Rolls of landscape and planting, ensuring that the Honour. There is a continual process of original design intentions and planting amendments and additions to records, schemes are carefully considered when panels and headstones to ensure both modifications and changes are planned. accuracy and fit commemoration. The CWGC undertakes its Often additions are entered onto maintenance and repair work via ‘addenda panels’ which form part of the a mix of skilled in-house staff and original design of a memorial and are external contractors. Supervision and intended for this purpose. Where entirely management is via an experienced team new addenda panels are required to a of qualified staff. There is a constant listed memorial or structure this would programme of training to ensure best require consent, but Historic England conservation practices are followed considers that neither addition of names and skills kept up to date. Maintenance to addenda panels, nor amendment and repair work is undertaken in of names on memorials, affects the accordance with written technical architectural or historic interest of a guidelines and policy, including a suite of CWGC memorial as long as it is carried specification data sheets. Standards are out in character with the existing names. overseen by a specialist conservation The engraving methods and team in the CWGC Head Office who materials the CWGC adopt for ensure consistent standards of care and undertaking addenda have been maintenance across the organisation. established for more than a century Works to remedy vandalism, theft of across many thousands of sites around IMAGES materials, etc (thankfully rare), are carried Top: is an the world. In almost all cases the out following best conservation practice. example of a large cemetery maintained CWGC’s own font – designed by by the CWGC’s own staff in accordance MacDonald Gill – is used. Engraving Further details on best practice can be with horticultural and structural standards. to panels in situ is normally undertaken Above: found on Historic England’s website: , Bristol by hand, using a matching font and to https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/ the same depth as existing text technical-advice/war-memorials/

Some CWGC sites have been added to Historic England’s Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic ADDING AND AMENDING NAMES interest in England: AND INSCRIPTIONS https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/ what-is-designation/registered-parks- and-gardens/ This joint Policy Statement recognises Historic England does not consider that the primary responsibility that amendments constitute works A TASK WITHOUT END – and purpose of the CWGC is to which affect the architectural or ADDENDA TO HEADSTONES, ensure all those who died during historic interest of those memorials SCREEN WALLS AND MEMORIALS the two World Wars, while serving which are listed. with what we might now call the This joint Policy Statement The CWGC has a fundamental duty to Commonwealth forces, should be further recognises that the CWGC’s record the names of those who died in commemorated individually by name. approach to addenda and re-engraving service during the two World Wars and As such, adding and amending names work would not normally require for ensuring those details are recorded and details of casualties is a continual a local planning authority to seek a accurately. Occasionally, corrections process as new and corrected detailed rationale of the methodology are made to the original information information is verified by the CWGC. for adding or altering names on a held by the CWGC in relation to a This responsibility was given in the CWGC screen wall or memorial. particular casualty as new evidence Commission’s Royal Charter and has been supplied, or the names of newly identified casualties are accepted

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 10 CWGC AND LISTING

The large numbers of CWGC monuments and features – headstones, Crosses of Sacrifice, Stones of Remembrance and screen walls – continue to be tended as originally proposed, and are therefore protected by the care of the CWGC.

here a building qualifies Historic England has produced for listing primarily on selection guidance for listing war PROTECTING THE Wthe strength of its special memorials. A number of CWGC architectural and historic interest, the fact memorials and structures have been SPECIAL INTEREST that there are other buildings of similar listed. Further information can be or identical quality elsewhere is not likely accessed here – https://historicengland. to be a major consideration. However, a org.uk/listing/the-list/ Historic England, which advises building may be listed primarily because War graves, memorials and other the Secretary of State for Digital, it represents a particular historic type, to CWGC structures are protected from Culture, Media and Sport on ensure that examples of such a type are disturbance by a complex framework the protection of the historic preserved. Listing in these circumstances of legislation. Consecrated ground in environment including the is largely a comparative exercise and Church of England churchyards is subject listing of buildings of special needs to be selective where a substantial to faculty jurisdiction.Where applicable, architectural and historic number of buildings of a similar type and the CWGC will apply for a faculty interest, and advises local quality survive. In such cases, the where it wishes to complete work in planning authorities on planning Secretary of State’s policy is to list churchyards outside routine maintenance. applications and other consents only the most representative or most with heritage implications, has significant examples of the type. See agreed this Joint Policy Statement paragraph 21 on Selectivity in Principles of with the Commonwealth War Selection for Listed Buildings Graves Commission. (Department for Digital, Culture, Media Historic England agrees and Sport, 2018). that such is the depth of the care which the Commission takes over its sites and buildings that there is no need for further listing of those sites and buildings in England beyond the major national memorials. These national memorials, commemorating major national IMAGES events in the countries’ history Top left: The Commonwealth War Graves Plot are entirely appropriately listed. within Harwell Village Cemetery, Oxfordshire, Other sites, including individual contains one First World War and 66 Second memorials, are safeguarded by World War burials. Nearly all the war dead were serving at nearby RAF Harwell. the care of the Commission, a Top: Plymouth Weston Mill Cemetery silent witness in perpetuity. contains 401 burials of the First World War. Approximately half are in the naval and military war graves plots, the rest are scattered in the cemetery. Bottom left: Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard, West London, contains war graves from both World Wars. There are 120 First World War graves, mostly those of Australians who died in No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park. Uniquely, their graves are marked by scroll shaped headstones, chosen by the staff and patients at the hospital.

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 11 FURTHER READING

IMAGES Right and far right: Brookwood Military Cemetery.

The extensive records maintained Geurst, J. Cemeteries of the Great War by POLICY within the Commonwealth War Graves Sir Edwin Lutyens (2010) Historic England, Landscapes of Commission’s archives held at its Head War Graves: How the Remembrance: Register of Parks and Office in Maidenhead (much of which is Kenyon, Sir F. Cemeteries Abroad will be Designed Gardens Selection Guide (2017) available online), the National Archives, (1918) and sometimes the local authority’s National Planning Policy Framework history centre/library, mean that Hurst, S. C. The silent cities: an illustrated (2018), Ministry of Housing, Communities CWGC cemeteries and memorials guide to the war cemeteries and memorials and Local Government. https:// are well documented. to the ‘missing’ in France and Flanders 1914 assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ Other useful reference works –1918 (1929) government/uploads/system/uploads/ include: attachment_data/file/779764/NPPF_ King, A. Memorials of the Great War Feb_2019_web.pdf in Britain HISTORY (1998) Planning Practice Guidance 2014–2018, Archer, G. The Glorious Dead. Longworth, P. The Unending Vigil – The History of The Commonwealth War Graves Ministry of Housing, Communities and Figurative Sculpture of British First World Local Government. War Memorials (2009) Commission (2003) Historic England, Listing Selection Guide – Quinlan, M. Remembrance (2005) Boorman, D. At The Going Down of Commemorative Structures (2017) the Sun: British First World War Memorials Summers, J. Remembered: The History of https://content.historicengland.org. (1988) the Commonwealth War Graves uk/images-books/publications/dlsg- Boorman, D. For Your Tomorrow: British Commission (2007) commemorative-structures/heag110- commemorative-structures-lsg.pdf Second World War Memorials (1995) Tiller, K. Remembrance and Community: War memorials and local history Borg, A. War Memorials: from Antiquity (2013) Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings to Present (1991) Ware, F. The Immortal Heritage – (2018) , Department for Digital, Culture, Crane, D. Empires of the Dead: How An Account of the Work and Policy of the Media and Sport One Man’s Vision Led to the Creation of Imperial War Graves Commission during https://www.gov.uk/government/ WWI’s War Graves (2013) twenty years 1917–1937 (1937) publications/principles-of-selection-for- listing-buildings. Francis, P. (2014) CONSERVATION Francis, P. A Guide to the Commonwealth English Heritage, Conservation Principles, War Graves Commission (2018) Policies and Guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment (2008)

Historic England, Conservation and Management of Landscapes (2015)

Historic England, The Conservation, Repair and Management of War Memorials (2015)

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 12 FURTHER INFORMATION

FURTHER INFORMATION Historic England Archive ON CWGC MEMORIALS The Engine House, Lambeth Road AND MONUMENTS Firefly Avenue, London SE1 6HZ CAN BE OBTAINED FROM: Swindon SN2 2EH Tel: 02074165000 Tel: 01793 414779 www.iwm.org.uk Commonwealth War Graves Email: [email protected] Commission http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/ War Memorials Trust 2 Marlow Road professional/archives-and-collections/ 14 Road Maidenhead London SW1W 0QP SL6 7DX Ministry of Housing, Communities Tel: Conservation advice/grants: Tel: 01628 634221 & Local Government 020 7233 7356 Email: [email protected] 2 Marsham Street Administration/membership/fundraising: www.cwgc.org London SW1P 4DF 020 7834 0200 / 0300 123 0764 Tel: 0303 444 0000 Email: [email protected] or Historic England Email: [email protected] [email protected] http://www.warmemorials.org/ Cannon Bridge House Department for Digital, Culture, 25 Dowgate Hill Media and Sport London EC4R 2YA 4th Floor, 100 Parliament Street Tel: 020 7973 3100 London SW1A 2BQ 19 https://historicengland.org.uk/ Tel: 020 7211 6000 Email: [email protected] www.culture.gov.uk

The , London, commemorates more than 50,700 Commonwealth merchant seamen who lost their lives in the two World Wars and have no grave but the sea. The First World War Memorial, by Sir Edwin Lutyens, is Grade I listed. The Second World War memorial by Sir Edward Maufe (pictured) is separately listed Grade II*.

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS IN ENGLAND A Joint Policy Statement by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Historic England 13