Cretingham War Memorial

c26m east of St Peter's Church, The churchyard, The Street, Cretingham, Suffolk, IP13 7BG

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

Overview

First World War memorial obelisk. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453717
Date first listed:: 07-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Cretingham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: c26m east of St Peter's Church, The churchyard, The Street, Cretingham, Suffolk, IP13 7BG

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453717
Date first listed:: 07-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Cretingham War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: c26m east of St Peter's Church, The churchyard, The Street, Cretingham, Suffolk, IP13 7BG

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:: c26m east of St Peter's Church, The churchyard, The Street, Cretingham, Suffolk, IP13 7BG

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: East Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Cretingham
National Grid Reference:: TM2277060526

Summary

First World War memorial obelisk.

Reasons for Designation

Cretingham 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* an elegant stone obelisk in the Classical style; * unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Peter (Grade II*-listed) and Grade II-listed buildings including Shrub Cottage, Forge Cottage, Dial House, and Riverside.

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 Cretingham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The war memorial obelisk in the churchyard commemorates five local men who died in the conflict.

Details

The memorial stands within the churchyard of the Church of St Peter (Grade II*), close to the churchyard gate and in close proximity to a number of Grade II-listed buildings. The memorial is approximately 3m high and comprises a stone obelisk standing on a pedimented plinth with a two-stage base. The front face of the obelisk is decorated with a low-relief carving of a reversed sword. The sword blade is encircled by a crown, from which hangs a wreath.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the plinth reads IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF CRETINGHAM/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ (5 NAMES)/ FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. The commemorated names are recorded with the regiment in which each man served.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 18 July 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/189367/
War Memorials Register, accessed 18 July 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5469

Legal

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