Abinger Common War Memorial Cross
Abinger Common war memorial, a small Portland-stone Lutyens War Cross aligned with the church’s south porch, uniquely bears a carved sword on its west face and inscriptions commemorating local dead of 1914–18, its 1944 destruction by enemy action, and its 1949 re‑erection in memory of Margaret Lewin, her family and all who served.
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Description
Abinger Common war memorial stands on the axis of the south porch of the church and forms part of a group of listed buildings around the church green. Of Portland stone, it is a standard Lutyens War Cross (small size) mounted on a plinth of three stepped rectangular blocks which in turn stand on a small, shallow, circular base. It has a stone sword on the western face, which is the only one of his War Crosses to have such a feature. It is not known whether this is original or was added when the memorial was rebuilt.
The three-stage plinth is inscribed:
West face: IN MEMORY/ OF THOSE/ WHO FELL/ 1914 – 1918 (NAMES)
South face: THE WORLD WAR/ MCMXIV/ MCMXIX
East face: THIS CROSS DESTROYED/ BY ENEMY ACTION IN 1944/ WAS RE-ERECTED IN 1949/ IN PROUD MEMORY OF/ MARGARET LEWIN/ OF PARKHURST ABINGER COMMON/ AND HER DEAR DAUGHTER/ MABEL ELIZABETH FARRER/ BY THEIR DESCENDANTS/ AND OF ALL WHO LIKE THE ABOVE/ BROUGHT PEACE & JOY THROUGH/ THEIR OWN RADIANT FAITH COURAGE/ AND FORGETFULNESS OF SELF/ UNDER ALL CONDITIONS/ I CEASE NOT TO GIVE THANKS FOR/ YOU MAKING MENTION OF YOU/ IN MY PRAYERS. EPH 1:16/ PRESENTED BY MARGARET LEWIN OF/ PARKHURST, ABINGER IN MEMORY OF HER/ SON CHARLES MCCLEAN LEWIN 4th HUSSARS/ CML/ B 1880 D 1919/ THEY ALSO SERVE/ WHO ONLY/ STAND AND WAIT ALSO/ THE ELDEST SON OF ABOVE/ B1912 D1947. (Historic England, list entry 1028839)
Bibliography
Historic England. Abinger Common War Memorial. [Online] Available at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1028839, Nairn, I., Pevsner, N. (1971) Surrey (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England). 2nd edn. Yale University Press.
