Litcham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Litcham War Memorial, which is situated in All Saints 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 in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* a well-executed Celtic wheel-head cross with a finely carved interlaced knot work design.

Group value:
* with the Grade I-listed Church of All Saints and the nearby Grade II-listed buildings.

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 Litcham 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 Litcham is situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected not long after the end of the First World War, and was in situ by the Ordnance Survey County Series 25in map published in 1928. It commemorates 15 local servicemen from Litcham and Kempstone who died in the conflict.

Following the Second World War, a dedication was included along with the names of the five casualties from that conflict.

Details

First World War memorial with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: Litcham War Memorial is located in the churchyard to the south of the Grade I-listed Church of All Saints. It is also in close proximity to several Grade II-listed buildings.

It takes the form of a limestone, Celtic wheel-head cross on a tapering shaft with moulded foot. The cross-head is carved with an interlaced Celtic knot work design. The shaft rises from a four-sided, tapering plinth surmounting a single-stepped base on a concrete foundation. The plinth bears the inscriptions and names in incised lettering.

The west face of the plinth reads IN REMEMBRANCE OF/ (15 NAMES)/ MEN OF LITCHAM AND KEMPSTONE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918.

The south face of the plinth reads ALSO TO THE MEMORY OF/ (5 NAMES)/ WHO FELL IN WORLD WAR 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, 31 January 2018.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 05 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/56565
Roll of Honour. Litcham, accessed 05 October 2017 from http://www.breckland-rollofhonour.org.uk/litcham.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 31 January 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/255064

Other
OS Map 25” (1928)

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