Heath End and Baughurst War Memorial

Heath End and Baughurst War Memorial sits at the junction of Heath End Road and Brimpton Road, where two Hampshire villages meet in the borough of Basingstoke and Deane. It is a stone Latin cross honouring local people who died in both world wars, and it has been a Grade II listed structure since 2005.

What is this place?

The memorial dates from 1920, soon after the First World War ended. A local landowner, James Cox, gave the land, and the cost was met by public subscription, so it belongs to the community that built it. It still stands on its original site.

What will you see?

The cross is carved from Portland stone, with moulded arm ends, and rises from a slender tapering shaft set on an octagonal plinth. Five sides of the plinth carry the names of men from Heath End and Baughurst who died between 1914 and 1918. A tablet set into the front of the top step commemorates the Second World War dead.

Reading the names is the main thing to do here. They are a starting point if you want to trace individual soldiers through local archives, and a separate Heath End Roll of Honour is kept on the War Memorials Online website.

How do you get there?

The memorial is in Baughurst, postcode RG26, in the north of Hampshire, between Basingstoke and Newbury. A car is the easiest way to reach it. The monument is small and beside the road, so a short stop is enough. The surroundings are rural housing and fields, with few visitor facilities.

When should you visit?

There are no opening hours; the memorial is outdoors and open at all times. Daylight is best for photographs. The site carries most meaning on Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday of November, when British communities lay poppy wreaths at their war memorials and local services are usually held.

Why stop here?

It is a typical village memorial from the years just after the First World War: modest, made from a single stone, with a clear cross shape. Its listing confirms its historical and architectural value. For anyone interested in local history or family research, it is a useful reference for the families of Baughurst and Heath End.

Frequently asked questions

Is the memorial a listed monument? Yes. Historic England added it to the National Heritage List in November 2005 at Grade II.

When was it built? In 1920, on land donated by James Cox and paid for through public subscription.

Whose names are on it? The plinth lists people from Heath End and Baughurst who died in the First World War. The tablet on the step honours the Second World War dead.

Is there an entry fee? No. The memorial stands outdoors at a road junction and can be visited at any time.