Coddenham War Memorial

St Mary's Churchyard, Church Road, Coddenham, Suffolk

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

Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled 4 April 1920, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1452648
Date first listed:: 09-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Coddenham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: St Mary's Churchyard, Church Road, Coddenham, Suffolk

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1452648
Date first listed:: 09-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Coddenham War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St Mary's Churchyard, Church Road, Coddenham, 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 Mary's Churchyard, Church Road, Coddenham, Suffolk

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: Mid Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Coddenham
National Grid Reference:: TM1329854195

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 4 April 1920, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Coddenham 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 conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* a well-executed wheel-head cross pattée memorial

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Mary and the surrounding 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 Coddenham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 22 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was manufactured by the Army and Navy Auxiliary Cooperative Society Ltd at a cost of £137 19s 6d and unveiled on 4 April 1920 by Captain The Honourable J St V Saumarez.

The names of the six parishioners who fell or went missing during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

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

DESCRIPTION: Coddenham war memorial is located on a raised area at the entrance to the churchyard to the north of the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed); it faces the main road through the village and is also in close proximity to several Grade II-listed buildings.

The memorial is of granite and takes the form of a wheel-head cross pattée, upon a small, square pedestal. This crowns a tall, rectangular two-stepped plinth surmounting a two-stepped base. The cross and pedestal are decorated with Celtic-influenced geometric designs in relief, while the plinth and base are roughly hewn.

The inscriptions and names are recorded on the southern face of the plinth within smooth inset panels. The main inscription is to the uppermost panel and reads, TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND SACRED FOR ALL TIME/ TO THE MEMORY OF THE/ CODDENHAM MEN/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ FOR THE WORLD'S FREEDOM/ A.D. 1914 – 1919/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. The 22 names of the fallen are recorded on a panel directly below the inscription.

The Second World War dedication is to the panel at the base of the plinth and reads, ALSO THOSE WHO FELL/ 1939–45/ (5 NAMES)/ MISSING/ (1 NAME).

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 20 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/151402/
War Memorials Register, accessed 20 November 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4724

Legal

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