War Memorial, Leicester

Standing in Victoria Park, Leicester’s Arch of Remembrance is an imposing First World War memorial designed by the renowned Sir Edwin Lutyens. Unveiled on 4 July 1925, this Grade I listed monument is one of Lutyens’s largest and most architecturally striking war memorials.

Leicester’s industrial might played a crucial role in Britain’s war effort, and as early as 1917, a temporary memorial was erected to honor the fallen. A permanent design was pursued after the war, with an initial ambitious proposal ultimately scrapped due to funding constraints. The committee then commissioned Lutyens to create a memorial arch, which he presented in 1923.

The tetrapylon-style structure, made of Portland stone, features four legs supporting a large dome. It soars to 21 meters (69 feet 4 inches) and is characterized by two grand archways on the north-west to south-east axis, each 11 meters (36 feet) high, and two smaller ones on the side elevations, 7.3 meters (24 feet) high. Notably, the main arches align so that the rising sun shines through them on Armistice Day (11 November)-a poignant reminder of sacrifice.

Inside the arch, a coffered ceiling adds a refined decorative element, while painted stone flags represent the British armed forces and the Merchant Navy. The arch is further framed by ornate iron railings and flanked by gates and lodges at the University Road and London Road entrances to the park.

Today, the Arch of Remembrance remains a dominant feature of Leicester’s skyline, though modern development has reduced its visibility from certain vantage points. As part of the national collection of Lutyens’s war memorials since 2015, it continues to serve as a solemn place of tribute to those who served and fell in the Great War.