Castle Acre and Newton War Memorial
Churchyard of St James the Great Church, High Street, Castle Acre, Norfolk, PE32 2AA
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1440879
- Date first listed:
- 07-Dec-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Castle Acre and Newton War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of St James the Great Church, High Street, Castle Acre, Norfolk, PE32 2AA
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1440879
- Date first listed:
- 07-Dec-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Castle Acre and Newton War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of St James the Great Church, High Street, Castle Acre, Norfolk, PE32 2AA
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:
- Churchyard of St James the Great Church, High Street, Castle Acre, Norfolk, PE32 2AA
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- King's Lynn and West Norfolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Castle Acre
- National Grid Reference:
- TF8161115094
Summary
First World War memorial, 1923, with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
Castle Acre and Newton 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: an elegant granite wheel-head cross with carved decorative details;
* Group value: with the Church of St James (Grade I), Willow Cottage (Grade II) and
with Castle Acre Castle, Town defences and Bailey Gate (a scheduled monument).
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 Castle Acre in 1923 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 43 local servicemen who died during the First World War. A slate memorial inside the church also lists the names of those who died.
Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the nine fallen of that conflict.
Details
MATERIALS: rough-hewn granite.
DESCRIPTION: Castle Acre and Newton War Memorial is located within the churchyard of St James the Great Church. It consists of a wheel-head cross with a Sword of Sacrifice carved in relief on its front face. The cross is set upon a tapering shaft which rises from a trapezoid-shaped plinth. The whole stands on a two-stepped base.
The plinth of the memorial has had smooth granite plaques attached to it at a later date. The plaques carry the names of the fallen from the First World War. That on the front face reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF CASTLE ACRE/ AND NEWTON/ WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WARS/ 1914 – 1918 1939 – 1945. Underneath is 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES)/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 Oct 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/104400
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 Oct 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19638
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 16-Jun-2026 at 03:25:02.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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