A chalk cross scratched into a hillside and a pub dating back to the 18th century are among more than 400 sites to have gained protected status this year.

In 2021, Historic England has listed 362 heritage sites, 41 scheduled monuments and 13 parks in gardens, including two Kent sites.

And among its highlights are Shoreham Memorial Cross, in Sevenoaks, which became a scheduled monument in October, and The Brown Jug pub, in Broadstairs, which was listed at Grade II in February.

The memorial cross was the idea of Shoreham resident Samuel Cheeseman, a father who lost two sons in the First World War. It is carved into the chalk of the hillside and carefully edged with chalk blocks. It was designed to be seen from the Shoreham War Memorial in the valley below and was carefully shaped and scaled to appear symmetrical.

It was conceived as a permanent testament to all those from the parish who lost their lives in the conflict.

Men, women, and children from the village worked together to complete the cross, which was finished in September 1921. The inscription on the nearby War Memorial reads ‘Remember as you look at the cross on the hill those who gave their lives for their country 1914-19’.

Every year after it was completed Mr Cheeseman would pull a small cannon up the hill to the cross in an act of remembrance for his sons.

"These wonderful historic sites are now protected for future generations..."

This is one of only two memorial crosses of its type known to survive and is an eloquent illustration of the impact of the conflict on this community.

The Brown Jug was originally constructed as a farm cottage, most likely in the 18th century and the building has seen multiple phases of development which are visible in its surviving historic fabric, and it is still possible to see its original, simple two-room plan, particularly at ground floor level.

It is thought it was converted to pub use in the late 18th or early 19th century, and documents of 1795 refer to the building as the Queen’s Arms Tap, and in 1813, an auction sale advertisement refers to it as The Brown Jug.

Externally, the 18th-century fabric of the building survives in the knapped, or shaped, flint walls, a traditional Kent technique.

Inside significant 18th century and 19th century features survive, including lath and plaster walls. In the pub’s more recent history its interiors have hardly altered since the 1960s, in line with the wishes of the previous licensee, who ran the pub until it closed in 2019. There are distinctive mid-20th century features in many rooms including fireplaces, cornicing, dado rails, and panelling.

Duncan Wilson, Historic England chief executive, said: "The additional places protected this year shows the diversity of our country’s shared heritage, from arts and crafts houses and windmills to historic mud walls and 20th Century office blocks.

"These wonderful historic sites are now protected for future generations, and we encourage people to apply for listing, or share their photos and videos of listed sites, through our website."

Other sites gaining protected status in 2021 included an 18th century windmill in Yorkshire, a Royal Navy submarine found in the waters of Dartmouth, Devon and Suffolk sports hall built in 1977.