Wretham War Memorial
Church Lane, Wretham, Norfolk
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1437723
- Date first listed:
- 30-Aug-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Wretham War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Church Lane, Wretham, Norfolk
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1437723
- Date first listed:
- 30-Aug-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Wretham War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Church Lane, Wretham, Norfolk
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Church Lane, Wretham, Norfolk
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- Breckland (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Wretham
- National Grid Reference:
- TL9148090616
Summary
First World War memorial with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
Wretham War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet striking memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Ethelbert (Grade II*).
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Wretham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates 14 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the one fallen of that conflict.
In 2012 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.
Details
MATERIALS: limestone.
DESCRIPTION: Wretham War Memorial comprises a Latin cross on a faceted square plinth and a two-stepped base.
The south face bears the dedicatory inscription: IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF EAST AND WEST/ WRETHAM/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WARS/ 1914-1918/ 1939-1945. The north face reads THEIR NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR/ EVERMORE. The other faces have the lists of names incised on them.
At the base of the plinth is a slate plaque commemorating the visit of the 359th fighter group in 1985 which reads: THIS PLAQUE COMMEMORATES/ THE VISIT BY SURVIVORS OF THE/ 359TH FIGHTER GROUP/ IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE/ WHO SERVED AND DIED IN/ THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM/ 3RD AUGUST 1985.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 12 July 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19890
War Memorials Online, accessed 12 July 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/146539
War Memorials Trust, accessed 12 July 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=983
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 30-Jun-2026 at 21:56:37.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.