- on - Se a , ▁Es sex , ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁England . ▁Design ed ▁by ▁architect ▁Sir ▁Ed win ▁L ut y ens , ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁Gra de ▁II * ▁listed ▁building . ▁▁ ▁L ut y ens ▁originally ▁designed ▁a ▁c en ot aph ▁for ▁South end , ▁following ▁his ▁example ▁of ▁the ▁C en ot aph ▁on ▁White hall ▁in ▁London , ▁arg u ably ▁his ▁most ▁famous ▁mem orial . ▁The ▁mem orial ▁as - built ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁an ▁ob el isk ▁fl ank ed ▁by ▁stone ▁flags ▁and ▁surrounded ▁on ▁three ▁sides ▁by ▁a ▁low ▁screen ▁wall . ▁It ▁is ▁approached ▁from ▁the ▁north ▁by ▁a ▁set ▁of ▁six ▁stone ▁steps , ▁similar ▁to ▁L ut y ens ' ▁design ▁for ▁the ▁North ▁Eastern ▁Railway ▁War ▁Memorial ▁in ▁York . ▁The ▁mem orial ▁was ▁un ve iled ▁by ▁Lord ▁Lamb our ne , ▁the ▁Lord ▁Lieutenant ▁of ▁Es sex ▁and ▁dedicated ▁by ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Col chester ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁November ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁Gra de ▁II ▁listed ▁building ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁Gra de ▁II * ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁when ▁L ut y ens ' ▁mem orial s ▁were ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁a ▁" n ational ▁collection ". ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁thousands ▁of ▁war ▁mem orial s ▁were ▁built ▁across ▁Britain . ▁Among