Cotton War Memorial
The churchyard, St Andrew's Church, Church Road, Cotton, Suffolk, IP14 4QZ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1452798
- Date first listed:
- 05-Feb-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Cotton War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- The churchyard, St Andrew's Church, Church Road, Cotton, Suffolk, IP14 4QZ
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1452798
- Date first listed:
- 05-Feb-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Cotton War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- The churchyard, St Andrew's Church, Church Road, Cotton, Suffolk, IP14 4QZ
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:
- The churchyard, St Andrew's Church, Church Road, Cotton, Suffolk, IP14 4QZ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- Mid Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Cotton
- National Grid Reference:
- TM0703966902
Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Cotton War Memorial, which stands in the 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:
* an elaborate Portland stone war memorial in the Gothic style.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Andrew (Grade I-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 Cotton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 13 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was provided by Hanchets of Bury St Edmunds, renowned Suffolk monumental masons (established 1776), who built and carved at least 20 other First World War memorials in the Suffolk area, some of which are listed. The memorial was unveiled on 7 December 1919 by Lt-Col FW Turner.
The name of one local serviceman who died during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.
Details
The Portland stone memorial stands in the churchyard to the south-east of the Church of St Andrew (Grade I-listed). It comprises a small ornately carved wheel-head cross rising from the moulded top of a tapering pyramidal shaft, that stands on an elaborately carved plinth. The plinth stands on a simple base. The sides of the shaft are ornamented by carved panels on each face. The plinth is also elaborately decorated with blind arches forming recessed panels for the inscriptions, and crocketted corners.
The main inscription in incised and black-painted lettering on the east face of the plinth reads: IN/ HONOURED AND GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF COTTON/ WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR,/ 1914–1919,/ AND AS A THANK-OFFERING TO/ GOD FOR VICTORY AND PEACE/ (on base) THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVER MORE. The names of the fallen are recorded on the other faces of the plinth.
The memorial is enclosed by a low ornamental iron rail carried around all four sides.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 22 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4728
War Memorials Online, accessed 22 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/252111/
Other
‘Cotton War Memorial’, Diss Express, Friday 12 December 1919, p8
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 05-Jun-2026 at 19:34:53.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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