Great Sutton War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial cross, with additions for later conflicts.

Reasons for Designation

Great Sutton War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of St John’s Church, 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:

* an elaborate war memorial cross with a highly decorated cross head.

Group value:

* with the Church of St John the Evangelist and Parish Hall including boundary walls and railings, gates and gateposts, and lychgate (all Grade II-listed).

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 in the churchyard of St John’s Church, Great Sutton, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 15 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of seven men who died in that conflict were added, and the name of a Royal Marine who died in the Falklands conflict has also been inscribed on the memorial.

Details

The stone memorial cross stands in the churchyard of the Church of St John the Evangelist (Grade II) about 15m to the west of the lychgate (Grade II). It comprises a tall cross standing on a complex base designed for the placement of wreaths and floral tributes.

The elaborate cross head is in the form of a Maltese cross clasped by a plain equal-armed cross. Daisies are carved in the interstices of the cross arms, and the monogram IHS at the centre of the cross head on both front and rear faces. The tapering cross shaft rises from a pedestal with part-crenellated top. The pedestal stands on an octagonal plinth, that stands on a square base. Four corniced blocks are placed at the corners of the base, joined by a low step on each side.

The dates 1914/ 1918 are carved in low relief on the front face of the cross shaft. The principal dedicatory inscription, also carved in low relief, is recorded to the front face of the pedestal, reading TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ & IN MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF THIS VILLAGE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR +/ + THE PATH OF DUTY/ WAS THE WAY TO GLORY.

A further dedication, inscribed around the front three faces of the octagonal plinth, reads SONS OF THIS PLACE, LET THIS OF YOU BE SAID/ THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD/ THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT YOU WHO LIVE MAY REAP/ A RICHER HARVEST ERE YOU FALL ASLEEP.

The commemorated First World War names are recorded to either side of the pedestal, with the Second World War inscription to its rear face reading 1939 – 1945/ (7 NAMES). The latest inscription recorded on one of the rear faces of the plinth reads FALKLANDS WAR/ 1982/ (1 NAME).


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, 27 February 2018.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 24 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9961
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 February 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/247615

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