Eaton War Memorial

Newmarket Road, Norwich, Norfolk

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

Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled 1 May 1921, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453264
Date first listed:: 29-Jan-2018
List Entry Name:: Eaton War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Newmarket Road, Norwich, Norfolk

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453264
Date first listed:: 29-Jan-2018
List Entry Name:: Eaton War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Newmarket Road, Norwich, Norfolk

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:: Newmarket Road, Norwich, Norfolk

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

County:: Norfolk
District:: Norwich (District Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TG2060406475

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1 May 1921, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Eaton war memorial, which is situated on Newmarket Road, 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 simple yet dignified Latin cross memorial influenced by Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice.

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 Eaton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial follows the style of Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Cross of Sacrifice designed for the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission; it was sculpted by Mr E W D Potter of Chapelfield Road under the direction of architect, Mr E C Boardman. It was unveiled on 1 May 1921 by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Lieutenant Colonel Granville Duff, and dedicated by Bishop N T Hamlyn, parish vicar. The memorial commemorates the 107 local servicemen who died in the First World War.

Following the Second World War, the memorial was re-dedicated on 07 November 1948 with the 33 names of those who died in the conflict added to the memorial. One of those remembered is Diana Morgan who was a member of the Women’s Transport Service (FANY) and she died on 19 October 1940, aged 23.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: Eaton war memorial is located to the southern side of Newmarket Road. It stands within a semicircular enclosure bounded by hedges but open at the northern side to allow access to the memorial.

It takes the form of a Blomfield Cross of Sacrifice; a tall Latin cross with an inverted bronze sword to the front (north) face. The cross has an octagonal shaft with moulded foot, which rises from an octagonal plinth upon a two-stepped octagonal base. The whole stands on a two-stepped octagonal platform. The inscriptions and names are carried on the plinth and base in incised lettering.

The plinth is of three tiers with a stepped back upper section, a taller central section and moulded foot.

INSCRIPTION: the principal inscription is to the upper section and reads in an anticlockwise direction around the plinth starting from the south-east face: TO THE GLORY OF/ GOD AND IN GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE BELONGING/ TO THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR./ 1914-1918. The 107 names of those who died are recorded below to the eight faces of the central section of the plinth. A further inscription wraps round the foot of the plinth, also in an anticlockwise direction, starting at the north-east face, “MAKE THEM TO/ BE NUMBERED/ WITH THY SAINTS/ IN GLORY/ EVERLASTING.”

The upper-step of the base carries the Second World War dedication with the dates 1939 – 1945 incised to the north face. The 33 names of those who died are recorded on either side of the dates on four faces of the base.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 14 December 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/132705/
War Memorials Registry, accessed 14 December 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/54343
Other
Ray, D W, Eaton War Memorial Norwich. A Short History, (2011)

Legal

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