Aldeby War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, circa 1920, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Aldeby War Memorial, which is situated in St Mary’s Churchyard, 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 local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: as a simple but well-executed granite cross;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed Church of St Mary and the Grade II-listed Priory Farmhouse and outhouse.

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.

In April 1919 suggestions for a war memorial for Aldeby were discussed and recorded in the Parochial Church Council minutes, with a memorial tablet in the church, a parish room, and a clock in the church tower being mentioned. It was decided that it would be well to wait until peace was settled before taking definite steps. Eventually it was resolved that a tablet recording the names of the 23 men from the three parishes of Aldeby, Wheatacre, and Burgh St Peter who had fallen should be erected in the church and if funds permitted, some further memorial should also be erected.

Aldeby memorial, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected circa 1920. The memorial commemorates 23 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and six men who fell in the Second World War, but it does not bear names. The inscription states that it is dedicated to the men named inside the Church of St Mary. The church contains two marble plaques bearing these names.

Details

MATERIALS: rough-hewn grey granite.

DESCRIPTION: Aldeby War Memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, St Mary's Road, Aldeby, South Norfolk. It is prominently situated by the churchyard wall and path leading to the church. It comprises a wheel-head cross on a plinth with two-stepped base. It has a smooth face to the front of the plinth bearing inscriptions in leaded lettering.

The inscription is in leaded lettering and reads IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF ALDEBY/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED/ IN THE CHURCH/ 1914 – 1918/ AND/ 1939 – 1945.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 6 March 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 29 Nov 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/56427
War Memorials Online, accessed 6 March 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/168376

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