Alexander Carrick’s monumental Highland soldier stands above a rugged local-stone pedestal at the southern approach to the centre.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1922
- Architect / designer
- A Marshall Mackenzie; sculpture by Alexander Carrick
- Type
- Figurative First World War memorial
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB31627)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 03336 58731
Architecture and continuing use
A colossal bronze infantryman tops a tall battered pedestal of bull-faced local whinstone on an Aberdeen-granite plinth. The contrast between precisely modelled figure and quarry-faced masonry gives the memorial great visual weight.
Its story
A Marshall Mackenzie designed the memorial in 1922 and Alexander Carrick supplied the bronze figure. Later inscriptions extended commemoration beyond the First World War.
Why it is included
Important architectural and sculptural authorship, local materials and continuing public remembrance make this a major civic landmark.
What to notice
- The soldier’s scale against the tall tapering pedestal.
- Rough Wester New Forres whinstone above the granite base.
- Names and later commemorative additions around the monument.
Reading the surroundings
The memorial stands in public space near roads. View respectfully, take care around traffic and avoid obstruction during remembrance ceremonies.
Timeline
- 1922 The memorial was completed to designs by Mackenzie and Carrick.
- 1939–45 Later conflict broadened the community commemorated at the site.
- 2026 The monument remains a focus for public remembrance in Forres.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The Imperial War Museums record is the principal checked source for present identity and commemorative details; ceremony schedules vary annually.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Forres War Memorial, LB31627 — Designation category, mapped location, construction phases, fabric, authorship and architectural or historical interest.
- Imperial War Museums: Forres War Memorial — Current identity, location and commemorative record.
- Wikimedia Commons: Forres War Memorial — Independent subject identity and visual context; no image is imported from this category.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 03336 58731 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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