An octagonal shaft and lion rampant adapt the form of a market cross to commemorate Lauder’s dead of two world wars.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1923; Second World War plaque added after 1945
- Architect / designer
- Designer not identified in the designation
- Type
- Granite war memorial in the form of a mercat cross
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB37223)
- OS grid reference
- NT 52740 47821
Architecture and continuing use
A granite shaft rises from a stepped square base with chamfered sides. Names and the First World War dedication are cut into the lower stages. A sandstone lion rampant holds a cross-bearing shield above, while a later plaque records Second World War losses.
Its story
The memorial was erected in 1923 for people from the parish and burgh who died during the First World War. Its cross-like composition may recall Lauder’s lost mercat cross once placed near the town hall. A separate plaque extended the commemoration after the Second World War.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a prominent work of community remembrance that deliberately connects twentieth-century sacrifice with the older symbols of the royal burgh.
What to notice
- The lion rampant holding the dated shield.
- Names arranged around the octagonal base.
- The later war plaque distinguished from the original composition.
Reading the surroundings
Approach from public space and treat the monument as a place of remembrance. Do not climb, sit on inscribed steps during ceremonies or attach objects without permission.
Timeline
- 1923 Lauder erected the cross-like memorial to its First World War dead.
- After 1945 A plaque added names from the Second World War.
- 1971 The monument received Category B statutory protection.
- 2026 The council continues to record the site as Lauder Common Good property.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The designation does not name a designer or document the precise date of the later plaque. Commemorative-event access can temporarily alter the surrounding space.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Lauder War Memorial, LB37223 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB37223 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Scottish Borders Council: Lauder Common Good property — Current council asset and land context for Lauder War Memorial.
Location
OS grid reference NT 52740 47821 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · 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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