Shining Hours

The Magdalen College war memorial, designed by Alfred B. Yates, was erected in 1920/21 in the College’s Old Quadrangle to commemorate those members of the College who died in the First World War.  It was unveiled by the Prince of Wales on 8 February 1921.

In October 1971, “..the College agreed to loan the cross indefinitely to the Wheatley branch of the Royal British Legion... It is not known how the British Legion came to make such an approach...” (D Roberts: 'Hidden Magdalen' (Oxford, 2008) p.42.).

Magdalen's cross was accordingly moved to the Old Burial Ground, Bell Lane, Wheatley and was rededicated in October 1974 to commemorate the servicemen from that village who had died in the First and the Second World Wars.  (Wheatley's original war memorial, which dated from 1921, had been demolished as unsafe in the early 1970s.)

The Wheatley (formerly Magdalen College) War Memorial was awarded Grade II listed status on 23 November 2015.