Site: Runnymede Air Forces Memorial (1 memorial)
TW20, Cooper's Hill Lane
Architect was Sir Edward Maufe; sculpture (relief statues of Courage, Victory and Justice) by Vernon Hill. Engraved glass and painted ceilings designed by John Hutton. Listed. This extensive memorial would be very peaceful were it not for the relentless intrusion of planes from Heathrow. Even these airmen might find it intolerable.
The memorial is a moving, respectful place to visit. The views from the roof are splendid – Windsor Castle, Wembley, the City. The architecture and design – Festival-of-Britainesque, the best of 1953, untouched by nasty modernisations. With one ghastly exception: some health-and-safety boards explaining how to negotiate a spiral staircase: “Warning. As these access stairs are of a spiral construction they are more narrow the nearer they become to the centre. Visitors should ensure that they keep to the outside of the stair case where the treads are at their maximum width and use the hand rail at all times.” Etc. We are not making this up.
