Carbrooke War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1922, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Carbrooke War Memorial, which is situated in SS Peter and Paul'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 Calvary cross memorial, which demonstrates fine craftsmanship in the carved canopy and sculptural depiction of the Crucifixion.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of SS Peter and Paul and the Grade II-listed building, The Thatched Cottage.

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

Like many Norfolk war memorials, this example at Carbrooke is situated within the parish churchyard. The memorial was erected in 1922 and originally commemorated 19 local servicemen who died in the First World War; two other names were later added to the memorial in 2013.

Following the Second World War, the dates of that conflict and the names of the six casualties were added to the memorial.

In 2013, a polished stone plaque replicating the inscriptions on the memorial was placed at the foot of its base.

Details

First World War memorial, 1922, with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: Carbrooke War Memorial is located in the churchyard to the west of the Grade I-listed Church of SS Peter and Paul. It is also in close proximity to the Grade II-listed building, The Thatched Cottage. A section of the churchyard wall has been removed so that the memorial can be viewed from the roadside and it is approached by a set of steps.

The memorial takes the form of a stone Calvary cross with a sculpted depiction of the Crucifixion to the west face, beneath an ornately carved canopy with cusped tracery. This surmounts a slender octagonal shaft with moulded collar and foot, which rises from a square pedestal with chamfered top corners. The pedestal surmounts an octagonal plinth with roll moulding detail to alternate faces. This stands atop a two-stepped octagonal base upon a concrete foundation.

The pedestal and plinth carry the names and inscriptions in incised lettering. The principal inscription is to the west face of the pedestal and reads, THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919. The three westernmost faces of the plinth carry the names of the First World War casualties as follows: north-west face, FAITHFUL/ (7 NAMES); west face, UNTO/ (7 NAMES); south-west face, DEATH/ (7 NAMES).

Incised to the south face of the pedestal are the dates 1939-1945, with the six names of the Second World War casualties recorded on the plinth directly below.

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Registry, accessed 5 January 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19742
War Memorials Online, accessed 5 January 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/215961/
‘Carbrooke in WWI’, Carbrooke History and Heritage, accessed 5 January 2018 from http://www.carbrookehistory.co.uk/

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