Bredfield War Memorial

St Andrew's Churchyard, Bredfield, Suffolk

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled 25 July 1920, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1452287
Date first listed:: 22-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Bredfield War Memorial
Statutory Address:: St Andrew's Churchyard, Bredfield, Suffolk

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1452287
Date first listed:: 22-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Bredfield War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St Andrew's Churchyard, Bredfield, Suffolk

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: St Andrew's Churchyard, Bredfield, Suffolk

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Suffolk
District:: East Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Bredfield
National Grid Reference:: TM2686853028

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 25 July 1920, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Bredfield War Memorial, which is situated in St Andrew’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 has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* a well-executed Latin cross type of war memorial.

Group value:

* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Andrew.

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 Bredfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was built by Messrs Stephenson of Woodbridge, Stone Masons, and unveiled on Sunday 25 July 1920 by Brigadier General S E Massy Lloyd. The memorial originally commemorated 12 men who died in the First World War; however an additional name was included in 2013 during the refurbishment of the memorial.

The names of five parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: Bredfield War Memorial is located in the churchyard to the north of the Church of St Andrew (Grade II*-listed).

It is of Portland stone and takes the form of a tall Latin cross rising from a tapering, four-sided plinth surmounting a two-stepped base. The whole stands on a square, concrete platform.

The main inscription is on the south face of the plinth and reads IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ BREDFIELD/ WHO GAVE UP THEIR/ LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914–1919. The names of the 13 men who died are recorded on the west and east faces of the plinth.

A further inscription is on the south face of the upper-step of the base and reads 1939–1945/ (5 NAMES).

All lettering is incised, painted black.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 07 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/117397/
War Memorials Register, accessed 07 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5305

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.