Hatfield War Memorial

Hatfield War Memorial is a Portland stone memorial cross standing in a garden bordered by brick walls with an octagonal cross section on an octagonal base. A brick pavilion attached to the site houses Portland stone tablets listing names of those who died in both world wars.

Completed in 1921 by architect Herbert Baker, the memorial was built to honor 139 soldiers from the area who died in the First World War. After the Second World War, additional names were inscribed to remember those lost in the later conflict.

The carved roses and lilies in the design represent England and France, honoring the alliance between the two nations during the wars. This floral choice shows how the memorial uses symbols to tell a story about shared sacrifice.

The memorial sits in a quiet garden setting with open access in historic Hatfield, making it easy to visit and walk around. The brick pavilion provides shelter for reading the inscriptions on the memorial tablets.

The land for this site was donated by James Gascoyne-Cecil, the 4th Marquess of Salisbury, linking the memorial to the region's aristocratic past. This generous gift shows how the memorial became a community landmark with support from local landowners.

Location: Hatfield

Inception: 1921

Architects: Herbert Baker

GPS coordinates: 51.76417,-0.21461

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:00