Denston War Memorial

Village Green, Water Lane, Denston, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8PW

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

Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled in December 1921. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453951
Date first listed:: 07-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Denston War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Village Green, Water Lane, Denston, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8PW

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1453951
Date first listed:: 07-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Denston War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Village Green, Water Lane, Denston, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8PW

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:: Village Green, Water Lane, Denston, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8PW

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: West Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Denston
National Grid Reference:: TL7603452845

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled in December 1921.

Reasons for Designation

Denston War Memorial, which is situated on the village green, 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 wheel-head cross memorial.

Group value:

* with the nearby Grade II-listed buildings, including the Post Office and Stores and Cherry Tree 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 Denston as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 11 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was unveiled in December 1921 by Mr A G Dunn-Gardner and dedicated by the vicar, Reverend A McKechnie.

At one stage the memorial was enclosed by railings but these have since been removed.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921.

DESCRIPTION: Denston War Memorial is located on the village green at the centre of the village, and is close to several Grade II-listed buildings, including the Post Office and Stores and Cherry Tree Cottage.

It is of limestone and comprises a small wheel-head pointed cross above an elaborately carved collar on a tapering hexagonal shaft. This rises from a hexagonal plinth with sloping cap and moulded foot. The whole stands on a single-stepped, square stone base.

The plinth carries the principal inscription and the names in incised lettering. The east face of the plinth reads TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918. The inscription continues on the west face of plinth and reads BUT THE MEN/ WERE VERY GOOD/ UNTO US AND WE/ WERE NOT HURT/ THEY WERE A WALL/ UNTO US BOTH BY/ NIGHT AND DAY.

The names of the 11 men who died during the First World War are inscribed on the four other faces of the plinth.

Sources

Websites
Denston Remembers, accessed 16 January 2018 from http://www.undyingmemory.net/Denston/Denston-memorial.html
War Memorials Online, accessed 16 January 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/150824/
War Memorials Register, accessed 16 January 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5126
Other
‘Denston. The War Memorial’, The Suffolk and Essex Free Press, (21 December 1921), pp5

Legal

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