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What is War Memorials Online?

War Memorials Online is a UK-focused crowdsourcing project that aims to build a complete record of the country's war memorials. Its central purpose is to document where memorials are, what type they are, and what condition they are in, so that they can be conserved and remembered for future generations.

What the site offers

• A searchable record of war memorials across the UK, built from public contributions.
• A way for anyone to register and add information about a memorial they know.
• A resource for exploring the history, variety and current state of memorials.

Who it is for

It is suited to local historians, community groups, parish councils, heritage volunteers, and anyone researching a name, place or monument. It may also help conservators and custodians flag memorials that need attention.

Trade-offs to note

Because it relies on voluntary contributions, coverage and accuracy can vary by area; some records may be incomplete or awaiting verification. It is a documentation and awareness tool rather than a conservation service or a genealogy database, so it complements rather than replaces local archives and national heritage listings.

How can I contribute information about a war memorial to War Memorials Online?

War Memorials Online is a UK-focused recording project that aims to document the location, type and condition of war memorials. Its main purpose is crowdsourced data collection, so contributions from the public are central rather than optional.

How contribution typically works

• Register an account. The site invites anyone to register in order to contribute information; registration is the usual first step before submitting records.
• Add or update a memorial record. Contributors supply details such as where a memorial is, what form it takes (for example a cross, plaque, obelisk or garden), and its current condition.
• Explore before adding. Because the goal is a complete national picture, it is worth searching existing entries first to avoid duplicating a memorial that is already listed, and to add condition updates instead.
• Report condition and risk. Condition information is a core part of the dataset, so notes on weathering, damage or vandalism may be as valuable as the original listing.

Who it suits

The project is suited to local historians, community groups, parish councils, family historians, schools and anyone who passes a memorial regularly. No specialist expertise is implied; the value comes from many people recording what they see.

Trade-offs

The site is a recording and awareness resource, not a conservation service, so submitting a record does not itself arrange repair work. Entries also depend on volunteer accuracy, and coverage of a given area may be uneven. Even so, contributing helps build a shared picture that others can use to monitor and protect memorials over time.

What types of war memorials are recorded on War Memorials Online?

War Memorials Online is a UK-focused recording project that aims to document the location, type and condition of war memorials across the country. Its records are not limited to one format; the site is designed to capture the wide variety of memorials that communities have created.

What is typically recorded

• Built structures such as crosses, obelisks, statues, cairns, arches, clock towers and lychgates.
• Plaques and tablets, including those inside churches, halls, schools, workplaces and stations.
• Rolls of honour, often listing names on boards, panels or in books.
• Practical and living memorials, which may include gardens, parks, trees, benches, halls, hospitals and funds.
• Utilitarian memorials, such as drinking fountains, bus shelters and village signs.
• Graves, headstones and cemetery features where these are treated as memorials.
• Memorials with inscriptions or dedications to those who died in conflict, and sometimes those who served.

Because the project invites public contributions, the range reflects what people find and choose to record. Entries usually note the memorial's type, materials, setting and condition, which helps conservation efforts.

Who it suits

It is useful for local historians, family researchers, community groups, schools and anyone checking whether a memorial near them is already listed. Volunteers can register to add information or photographs, while casual visitors can search and browse. The main trade-off is coverage: records depend on contributions, so some memorials may be incomplete or not yet included.

War Memorials Online

Why is it important to record and conserve war memorials in the UK?

War memorials in the UK are both public artworks and focal points for remembrance, so recording and conserving them serves practical and cultural purposes at once.

Why recording matters

A national record helps answer basic questions: what memorials exist, where they are, what form they take and what condition they are in. That information supports several audiences:

• Local historians and researchers, who can trace names, regiments and community stories.
• Councils, churches and landowners, who need to know what they are responsible for maintaining.
• Conservation and heritage bodies, which can prioritise repairs and specialist work.
• Families and communities, who may be searching for a name or a place connected to a relative.

Without a record, memorials can be lost quietly through redevelopment, neglect, theft or simple oversight. A survey also captures details before weather and pollution cause further damage, making later conservation more accurate.

Why conservation matters

Conservation is not only about stone or bronze. Memorials are often the only physical evidence of local service and loss, and they anchor ceremonies and school visits. Keeping them in good condition preserves that function for future generations and shows respect for the people named on them.

War Memorials Online invites the public to contribute information and explore existing records, which is a practical way to help build a fuller national picture.

Can I search for war memorials by location or name on War Memorials Online?

Yes. War Memorials Online is built around finding and recording UK war memorials, so location and name are the two natural ways in.

Searching by place works well if you know where a memorial stands or want to survey a village, town, city or county. Location-based browsing suits local historians, family researchers, council or conservation officers, and anyone checking what exists in their area.

Searching by name is more useful when you know what the memorial is called, or when you want to match a monument to a person, regiment, ship or event commemorated on it. This suits people tracing an ancestor, a school or workplace memorial, or a specific unit.

What you can expect to find

• The whereabouts and type of a memorial
• Its condition, where that has been recorded
• Contributions from volunteers and the public

Trade-offs Coverage depends on what has been recorded so far, so a missing result does not necessarily mean no memorial exists. Detail also varies between entries. If you cannot find one, registering lets you add information and help complete the national picture.

What should I do if I find a war memorial that is damaged or in poor condition?

If you find a war memorial that is damaged or in poor condition, the most useful first step is to record what you have observed so the information can be checked and acted on. War Memorials Online is built specifically for this purpose: it aims to map the location, type and condition of war memorials across the UK, and it invites members of the public to contribute.

A practical approach:

• Note the memorial's location, what it commemorates and what kind of structure it is.
• Describe the damage factually — for example, weathering, graffiti, missing lettering, a leaning plinth or vandalism.
• Take clear photographs if it is safe and appropriate to do so.
• Register on the site and submit the record, or check whether the memorial has already been listed and add an update.

Recording a memorial does not by itself arrange repairs, and the site does not present itself as a conservation contractor. Ownership and responsibility vary: many memorials belong to local councils, churches, parishes or community groups, so reporting to the relevant custodian as well can be worthwhile. The value of a national record is that it helps reveal patterns, supports conservation planning and keeps the memorial's condition visible to those who can help.