Huntingfield War Memorial Cross

Summary

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1922, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Huntingfield War Memorial Cross, which stands on The Green, 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 simple yet poignant granite war memorial cross, in the Celtic style.

Group value:

* with the Huntingfield Arms, 1 and 2 The Street, and 4, 5, 6 The Street (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 at Huntingfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 10 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial cross, built by Messrs HL Perfitt, was unveiled on 29 October 1922. The dedication ceremony was led by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, with the Right Honourable Colonel Lord Henniker who unveiled the cross. On the same day the Bishop also unveiled a second memorial in the parish church: an alter rail and plaque including the names that are listed on the cross. The names of four local servicemen who died in the Second World War were added to the cross following that conflict.

Details

The memorial is located on The Green at the junction of Brick Kiln Lane and The Street. It stands opposite The Hub (unlisted), formerly the site of Huntingfield Village Hall which was a First World War army hut, and in close proximity to Grade II-listed buildings including the Huntingfield Arms.

The memorial is made of rough-hewn granite, in the form of a Celtic cross. On the front face of the cross-head and shaft is a reversed sword carved in low relief. The shaft stands on a tapering plinth, which stands on a low concrete base. The front face of the plinth is smooth and carries the dedicatory inscription in leaded lettering, reading IN HONOUR/ OF THE MEN OF HUNTINGFIELD/ WHO DIED FOR US/ 1914 – 1918/ LEST WE FORGET (10 NAMES).

The names of those listed on the memorial are recorded in alphabetical order. A dedication on the side of the plinth gives the dates of the Second World War followed by four names, also in alphabetical order.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 31 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5510
War Memorials Online, accessed 31 October 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/138643/
Roll of Honour - Huntingfield, Suffolk, accessed 31 October 2017 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Suffolk/Huntingfield.html

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