COUNTRY LIFE October 15th 1932

A MEMORIAL TO HENRY KINGSLEY

TO THE EDITOR OF “COUNTRY LIFE”.

SIR, - I send you a photograph of the Henry Kingsley Memorial, that was erected recently in Cuckfield Churchyard, in the hope that it may prove of interest for reproduction in your journal. Following are particulars concerning the erection and design of the memorial:

Shortly after the centenary of Henry Kingsley’s birth, on January 2nd, 1930, an appeal was made by the President of Magdalen College, Oxford, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, Mr Michael Sadleir and others for subscriptions for a memorial to be erected over the grave of Henry Kingsley at Cuckfield. Sufficient was subscribed by the Spring of 1931, and the work was completed a short time ago.

The memorial takes the form of a monolith rising from a series of bases. At the summit, on the east and principal face, a cross is formed by sinking, and in the corresponding place on the west face a burning lamp is carved. The inscriptions are in Roman incised letters. That on the east face states that the monument is to the memory of Henry Kingsley, and was erected by some of his admirers. The inscription on the west face gives the particulars of Kingley’s birth, death and burial. On the chamfer of the large bottom base are inscribed the titles of Henry Kingsley’s novels, those of such old favourites as Geoffrey Hamlyn and Ravenshoe appearing on the east side.

The memorial was designed by myself, and executed in Roman stone by Messrs. Phillips and Sons of Brighton - Arnold Whittick.