Hethersett War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with Second World War additions. Portland stone cross (after Sir Reginald Blomfield) on a three-stepped base.

Reasons for Designation

Hethersett War Memorial, which stands in the 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;
* Architectural interest: a sensitive adaptation of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice, in Portland stone;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Remigius.

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. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Hethersett as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The community had begun to think about commemoration as early as December 1918, proposing to build a war shrine to mark the service of those local men who had died in the conflict. A War Memorial Committee formed in 1919. After considering alternatives, it was eventually decided that the memorial should take the form of a cross and be situated within the churchyard. Some £162 was collected from households to contribute to the cost.

The memorial was built by FG Want and Sons of Dereham Road, Norwich, and unveiled on 11 July 1920 by Canon Pelham, assisted by the Rector, Reverend F Jarvis. The memorial commemorates 18 local servicemen who died in the First World War, 12 men who died in the Second World War, and one man killed in the Cyprus Emergency of 1956.

The name of the casualty of the Cyprus Emergency was added in 2011. In May 2014, the Parish Council decided to add another First World War name and to have the memorial cleaned.

Details

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: Hethersett War Memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Remigius (Grade II*-listed). It is prominently situated by the churchyard path, to the north of the church. Based on Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice design, it comprises a tall cross, octagonal in section, with a moulded foot that rises from an octagonal plinth. The front face of the cross bears a reversed sword. The plinth stands on a three-stepped octagonal base. The lowest step has a slightly projecting cornice for the placing of floral tributes. The plinth bears the inscriptions in incised lettering.

The principal dedicatory inscription reads 1914 - 1918/ IN/ MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO MADE THE/ GREAT SACRIFICE/ THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE. The commemorated names are recorded, with date of death, around the plinth. The Second World War dedication reads 1939 - 1945/ IN/ MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO MADE THE/ GREAT SACRIFICE/ THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE with the names and dates of death listed on the plinth faces to either side. The 1956 inscription is recorded to the final face of the plinth.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 25 July 2017.

Sources

Websites
Hethersett at War, accessed 24 January 2017 from http://hethersettatwar.weebly.com/hethersett-war-memorial.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 24 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/245522/
War Memorials Register, accessed 25 July 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/72610

End of official list entry

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