Grade I listed war memorials in England facts for kids

There are 20 Grade I listed war memorials in England. These are very special monuments, chosen from over 3,000 listed war memorials across the country. In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure that is important for its history or amazing design. Listing a building helps protect it from being knocked down or changed without permission.

Buildings are put into three groups: Grade I, Grade II*, and Grade II. Grade I is for buildings that are super important and truly special. Only about 2.5% of all listed buildings are Grade I. War memorials that are Grade I are usually very beautiful and have a lot of history. Many were designed by famous artists or architects. One of the most well-known was Sir Edwin Lutyens. He designed about a third of all the Grade I war memorials! His famous works include the Cenotaph in London, where national Remembrance services are held, and the Arch of Remembrance in Leicester.

This list only includes memorials that are listed as Grade I buildings on their own. It does not include plaques on church walls or sculptures inside other listed buildings.

War memorials in England come in many shapes and sizes. They remember conflicts from hundreds of years ago. However, memorials for all soldiers, not just victorious leaders, became common after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The First World War (1914–1918) led to many more memorials than any other conflict. Most memorials on this list are from the First World War. Many were later updated to also remember those lost in the Second World War (1939–1945).

Special War Memorials in England

These memorials are among the most important in England. They are listed as Grade I because of their unique design, historical value, and the famous artists who created them.

What is a Listed Building?

A listed building is a structure that the government has decided is historically or architecturally important. This means it gets special protection. You can't just tear it down or change it without permission. This helps keep our history alive.

Why are War Memorials Listed?

War memorials are listed to protect them for future generations. They remind us of the sacrifices made during wars. Grade I memorials are especially important because they are considered masterpieces of design or have a very significant history.

Sir Edwin Lutyens: A Master Architect

Sir Edwin Lutyens was a very famous British architect. He designed many buildings and memorials, including a large number of war memorials. His designs are known for being strong, simple, and very moving. He created some of the most iconic war memorials in the UK and other countries.

Famous Grade I War Memorials

Name	ID	Image	Location	Conflict	Architect or sculptor	Type	Inauguration date	Listing date
Port Sunlight War Memorial	1343491		Port Sunlight, Merseyside	First and Second World Wars	Sir William Goscombe John	Sculptures and cross	1921	20 December 1965
Rochdale Cenotaph	1084274		Rochdale, Greater Manchester	First and Second World Wars	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Cenotaph	1921	12 February 1985
The Arch of Remembrance	1074786		Leicester, Leicestershire	First and Second World Wars	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Memorial arch	1925	23 February 1955
Liverpool Cenotaph	1073463		Liverpool, Merseyside	First and Second World Wars	Lionel Bailey Budden, Herbert Tyson Smith, sculptor	Cenotaph	1930	28 June 1952
Southampton Cenotaph	1340007		Southampton, Hampshire	First and Second World Wars, Malayan Emergency, Korean War, Mau Mau Uprising	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Cenotaph	1920	8 October 1981
The Cenotaph	1357354		City of Westminster, London	First and Second World Wars	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Cenotaph	1920	5 February 1970
The Mercantile Marine First World War Memorial	1260087		London Borough of Tower Hamlets	First World War	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Miscellaneous	1928	27 September 1973
Royal Artillery Memorial	1231613		City of Westminster, London	First and Second World Wars	Lionel Pearson	Sculpture	1926	14 January 1970
Guards Memorial	1231315		City of Westminster, London	First and Second World Wars	H. Chalton Bradshaw	Cenotaph with sculptures	1926	14 January 1970
Spalding War Memorial	1064002		Spalding, Lincolnshire	First and Second World Wars	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Miscellaneous	1922	20 November 1975
"The Response"	1186201		Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear	First World War	Sir William Goscombe John	Sculpture	1923	17 December 1971
Northampton War Memorial	1191327		Northampton, Northamptonshire	First and Second World Wars	Sir Edwin Lutyens	Obelisk pair and Stone of Remembrance	1926	22 January 1976
Chatham Naval Memorial	1267787		Chatham, Kent	First and Second World Wars	Sir Robert Lorimer	Obelisk	1924	5 December 1996
Plymouth Naval Memorial	1386464		Plymouth, Devon	First and Second World Wars	Sir Robert Lorimer	Obelisk	1924	1 May 1975
Portsmouth Naval Memorial	1386975		Portsmouth, Hampshire	First and Second World Wars	Sir Robert Lorimer	Obelisk	1924	25 September 1972
Preston Cenotaph	1218458		Preston, Lancashire	First and Second World Wars	Sir Giles Gilbert Scott	Cenotaph	1926	20 December 1991
Wagoners' Memorial	1161354		Sledmere, East Riding of Yorkshire	First World War	Alfred Barr	Column	1920	20 September 1966
Edith Cavell Memorial	1264768		St. Martin's Place, London, WC2	First World War	Sir George Frampton	Pylon with statue	1920	5 February 1970
Eleanor Cross, Sledmere	1083806		Sledmere, East Riding of Yorkshire	First World War	Temple Moore	Cross	1920	20 September 1966
Statue of Captain Albert Ball, Nottingham Castle	1246929		Nottingham Castle Gardens, Nottingham	First World War	Edwin Alfred Rickards and Henry Poole	Statue	1921	12 July 1972