Multiple crosses – Balchin and Chesterman

Location address : All Saints Church, High Street, Lydd, Kent, England, TN29 9DU, TR 04269 20955


Cross 1

Henry George Balchin

Location: All Saints Church
Town/village: LyddCounty: Kent
Postcode: TN29 9AY

Details on cross:

The number 33754 and the name BALCHIN on a small metal plaque above YRS on a small metal plaque as follows;

22754 BALCHIN
YRS

Text type: Tags but not GRU

Cross dimensions : I am afraid the cross was quite high on the wall and the width of wood at the bottom of the cross was the only dimensions I could reach
Shaft Height: N/A
Cross beam width: N/A
Width of wood: 75 mm
Thickness or depth: N/A
Other information
Mounting to wall: Assuming nailed to the wall
Detailing: No detaining very plain
Evidence of use in field: None
Surface insertion depth: Not apparent
Finish: Unfinished/unvarnished
Condition: Reasonable condition, it looks as though a couple of large black nails had been driven in near the top of the cross at some point.

Other information, notes and observations: Located just inside the entrance to the left of the door, next to the wall mounted town memorial plaque, where H.G.BALCHIN is listed, with no other details. Unfortunately I could not photograph this as a canopy was obscuring the plaque.

The cross is above a poem to the fallen, which I have also photographed.

I located another memorial (not a cross), further inside the church on the right hand side to, this was a brass plaque remembering NEVILLE LANCELOT COLLINS. I wonder if there had been a cross for him in the past and this replaced it?

Additional info: Private Henry George Balchin, 33754. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, formerly M/88207 Army Service Corps. Son of George and Matilda Balchin, of 1, Kimburn Villas, Lydd, Kent. Killed 13 November 1917. Aged 19.
Born Haywood Heath (Sussex), Enlisted Lydd. Buried POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY XLIX. D. 13.. (CWGC). Concentration documents at CWGC indicate his remains were found at Map Ref Sheet 20. U.28.B9.1. and reburied at Poelcapelle, identified by his disk. Nick Stone

Date of survey: 27 June 2012

Survey and photographs courtesy of Suzanne Duffy.


Cross 2

SGT MAJ CHESTERMAN

Details on cross :

5 GRU type tags

Diagonal tag:

ORIGINAL CROSS

Four horizontal tags:

G/ 2991  //  SGT MAJ CHESTERMAN  //  B/ QUEENS  //  25/4/16  //

Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): 5 GRU type tags

Cross dimensions

Shaft Height: 1170mm

Cross beam width: 410mm

Circle plate (if celtic type)  No

Square plate (if supported)  No

Other information

Mounting to wall: Not apparent

Detailing: None

Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): Staining and nail holes

Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent): Obscured by wreath

Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Unfinished

Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): Dusty

Notes and observations: (optional)

Location – North facing wall by the main west doors. On the west side of NIWM 1511.

Ends of the side arms are beveled.

Rectangular shadow and two nail holes at top of upper arm.

Three nail holes between diagonal and horizontal tags.

IWM – WMR 41350

WMOL 83230

Survey and photographs courtesy of: Barbara Taylor

With thanks to Susan Featherstone