Leicester’s Arch of Remembrance: Monument to a Roman God and a Legendary Monarch, as Well as a Memorial to the Fallen of the Great War

The summer of 2025 marked the centenary of the completion of one of the largest war memorials built in Britain. Designed by renowned architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, Leicester’s Arch of Remembrance was erected to honour the fallen of the Great War. However, within the design of the quadrifrontal archway constructed of Portland stone are allusions to ancient Roman mythology as well as British folklore. This article offers a brief examination of how Lutyens was inspired by architecture associated with the Roman deity Janus when designing the Leicester war memorial. The article also argues that Lutyens intended the archway to offer subtle allusion to the founding father of the city of Leicester, the British ruler Leir, a semi-legendary character introduced in the work of Geoffrey of Monmouth and made famous through Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear.