Little Fransham War Memorial
St Mary's Churchyard, Station Road, Little Fransham, Norfolk, NR12 2JJ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1451439
- Date first listed:
- 25-Jan-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Little Fransham War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- St Mary's Churchyard, Station Road, Little Fransham, Norfolk, NR12 2JJ
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1451439
- Date first listed:
- 25-Jan-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Little Fransham War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- St Mary's Churchyard, Station Road, Little Fransham, Norfolk, NR12 2JJ
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, Station Road, Little Fransham, Norfolk, NR12 2JJ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- Breckland (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Fransham
- National Grid Reference:
- TF9019212262
Summary
First World War memorial.
Reasons for Designation
Little Fransham 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 in the First World War;
* it carries a less common dedication expressing gratitude that all who served from the parish in the Second World War returned.
Architectural interest:
* a well-executed obelisk memorial.
Group value:
* with the Grade I-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 Little Fransham 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, this example in Little Fransham 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 five local servicemen who fell in the First World War.
Following the Second World War a further dedication was added to the memorial in gratitude for the safe return of all who served from the parish.
Details
First World War memorial.
DESCRIPTION: Little Fransham War Memorial is located in the churchyard to the south-west of the entrance to the Grade I-listed Church of St Mary. It stands within a square paved area adjacent to the main path.
It is of limestone and takes the form of an obelisk with moulded foot, rising from a tapering, four-sided plinth surmounting a three-stepped base. The plinth carries the inscriptions and names in incised lettering.
The principal inscription is to the south face and reads, TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ (5 NAMES).
The east face carries the Second World War dedication, 1939 – 1945./ THANKS BE TO GOD/ FOR THE SAFE RETURN/ OF ALL WHO SERVED/ FROM THIS PLACE.
Sources
Websites
Geograph, accessed 9 October 2017 from http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4460253
Roll of Honour. Little Fransham, accessed 9 October 2017 from http://www.breckland-rollofhonour.org.uk/fransham_lt.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 29 January 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/255069
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 14-Jun-2026 at 19:43:05.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.