Goffs Oak War Memorial

War Memorial at the junction of Goffs Lane, Newgatestreet Road and Cuffley Hill, Goffs Oak, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN7 5ET

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial with names added after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1486488
Date first listed:: 29-Aug-2023
List Entry Name:: Goffs Oak War Memorial
Statutory Address:: War Memorial at the junction of Goffs Lane, Newgatestreet Road and Cuffley Hill, Goffs Oak, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN7 5ET

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1486488
Date first listed:: 29-Aug-2023
List Entry Name:: Goffs Oak War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: War Memorial at the junction of Goffs Lane, Newgatestreet Road and Cuffley Hill, Goffs Oak, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN7 5ET

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:: War Memorial at the junction of Goffs Lane, Newgatestreet Road and Cuffley Hill, Goffs Oak, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN7 5ET

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

County:: Hertfordshire
District:: Broxbourne (District Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TL3227103008

Summary

First World War memorial with names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial in Goff’s Oak is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* it is 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.

Architectural interest:

* it is an impressive monument of finely dressed Portland stone in the form of a cenotaph, sited prominently in the centre of the village.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Before this, memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army, leading to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 Goffs Oak as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was unveiled on 18 December 1920 at a ceremony attended by Admiral Sir Hedworth Meux G.C.B. K.C.V.O. Inscribed on the memorial are the names of the two architects, T Llewelyn Daniel and Raymond E Arnold, neither of whom have any listed buildings to their names; and the name of the stonemason J W Hanchett, Waltham Abbey.

Another plaque with the names of the three men who fell during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial with names added after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: dressed Portland stone.

PLAN: the memorial is located in a central position in the historic centre of the village, at the junction of Goffs Lane, Cuffley Hill and Newgatestreet Road.

EXTERIOR: the memorial is in the form of a cenotaph, 16 feet (4.87m) in height, set upon a square plinth. On the front face of the cenotaph, at the top, is a plain stone tablet bearing the dates 1914-1918. Below this on the plinth is a moulded rectangular stone tablet inscribed IN/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ GOFFS OAK/ WHO/ LAID DOWN/ THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR, surmounted by a carved laurel wreath. The names of the fallen are inscribed on the other three faces of the plinth. On the rear side of the cenotaph is mounted a plain stone tablet with the dates 1939-1945, along with the names of the three fallen men.

Sources

Websites
IWM War Memorials Register, accessed 8 May 2023 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/1127
War Memorials Online, accessed 8 May 2023 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/216192

Legal

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