Vailly British Cemetery
Vailly -sur-Aisne
Aisne, France
63900
Construction began after the Armistice when graves were concentrated from nearby cemeteries and battlefields, producing a textbook Lutyens layout with east‑facing graves between War Stone and opposite Cross of Sacrifice, flanked by paired white‑stone entrance and shelter blocks, curved grave rows, mixed trees, and a hedge‑topped perimeter wall.
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Description
Construction began after the Armistice when graves were transferred from smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood and from the vicinity of the battlefield. The layout is perfectly in accordance with Lutyens’ principles. The War Stone stands on the east side and the graves are oriented toward this side. The Cross of Sacrifice stands opposite the War Stone at the other end of a central path. The War Stone is situated between an entrance building and a storage place with a sitting alcove. The two buildings are linked by a natural stone path, as is also the case at the cemetery in nearby Jonchery-sur-Vesle. The buildings are made entirely of white natural stone so that the refined expression of the alternately setback volumes, characteristic of Lutyens’ work, is nicely emphasized. Curved rows with graves are situated behind the Cross of Sacrifice and the War Stone. The cemetery is surrounded by a wall that is higher on the roadside than it is on the other sides. It is combined with a hedge. There are two conifers next to the War Stone, birch trees behind the Cross of Sacrifice, and fruit trees on the roadside.
Bibliography
Geurst, J. (2010) Cemeteries of the Great War by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers.
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