Gunthorpe War Memorial
St Mary's Churchyard, Bale Road, Gunthorpe, Norfolk, NR2 2PD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1449622
- Date first listed:
- 06-Nov-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Gunthorpe War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- St Mary's Churchyard, Bale Road, Gunthorpe, Norfolk, NR2 2PD
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1449622
- Date first listed:
- 06-Nov-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Gunthorpe War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- St Mary's Churchyard, Bale Road, Gunthorpe, Norfolk, NR2 2PD
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:
- St Mary's Churchyard, Bale Road, Gunthorpe, Norfolk, NR2 2PD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- North Norfolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Gunthorpe
- National Grid Reference:
- TG0118435209
Summary
First World War memorial.
Reasons for Designation
Gunthorpe 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made during the First World War.
Architectural interest:
* A well-executed Celtic wheel-head cross memorial with finely carved knot work designs to the cross head.
* Group value: with the Grade II* listed Church of St Mary.
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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Gunthorpe as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Like many Norfolk war memorials, the example at Gunthorpe was placed within the parish churchyard. It was presumably erected not long after the end of the First World War and commemorates nine local men who died in service during that conflict.
Details
First World War memorial.
MATERIALS: grey granite cross.
DESCRIPTION: Gunthorpe war memorial is located in the churchyard to the south-west of the Church of St Mary (Grade II* listed), adjacent to the entrance to the churchyard.
It takes the form of a Celtic wheel-head cross with knot work designs carved in relief to the cross-head; the centre of the cross-head is diamond-shaped and has the monogram HIS carved in relief. The cross has a tall, tapering shaft, which is inset to the front (east) face and has Celtic knot work carved in relief near the base. The shaft rises from a tapering, rough-hewn plinth with a smooth front (east) face carrying the inscription.
INSCRIPTION: the inscription is in raised, leaded lettering and reads: FOR GOD/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN GLORIOUS MEMORY OF/ (9 NAMES)/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918/ R.I.P./ “THESE DIED IN WAR THAT WE AT PEACE MIGHT LIVE/ THESE GAVE THEIR BEST, SO WE OUR BEST SHOULD GIVE/ NOT FOR THEMSELVES, FOR JUSTICE, FREEDOM, RIGHT/ THEY FOUGHT, AND BID US FORWARD TO THE FIGHT”
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The memorial stands within a small, square area of gravel bounded by granite kerbs.
Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museums Register, accessed 02 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20053
War Memorials Online, accessed 02 August 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/164952/
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 02-Jul-2026 at 20:20:35.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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