Great Barton War Memorial

Churchyard of the Holy Innocents, Church Road, Great Barton, Suffolk, IP31 2QS

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

Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled 3 April 1921. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1454092
Date first listed:: 09-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Great Barton War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Holy Innocents, Church Road, Great Barton, Suffolk, IP31 2QS

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1454092
Date first listed:: 09-Mar-2018
List Entry Name:: Great Barton War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Holy Innocents, Church Road, Great Barton, Suffolk, IP31 2QS

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:: Churchyard of the Holy Innocents, Church Road, Great Barton, Suffolk, IP31 2QS

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: West Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Great Barton
National Grid Reference:: TL8902466090

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 3 April 1921.

Reasons for Designation

Great Barton War Memorial, which is situated in the churchyard of the Church of the Holy Innocents, 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:

* a well-executed Greek cross memorial.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of the Holy Innocents.

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 Great Barton 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 design and location of the war memorial was the subject of considerable discussion and disagreement within the parish which was reported in local newspapers. It was eventually agreed that two memorials would be erected, a tablet inside the church and a memorial cross in the churchyard. The memorial cross was designed by Mr A Ainsworth Hunt of Hunt and Coats architectural practice, Bury St Edmunds, who also designed the Grade II-listed War Memorial at St Mary's Church, Polstead; Hunt was also one of Great Barton’s churchwardens. It was erected by Mr F H Goddard, who built a number of war memorials in the St Edmundsbury area. The memorial was unveiled on 3 April 1921 by Major H T Coppinger Hill and dedicated by the vicar, Reverend Dr Lipscomb. The costs of the memorial were met by public subscription and it commemorates the 23 members of the local community who died in the First World War.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921.

DESCRIPTION: Great Barton memorial stands in the churchyard adjacent to the main entrance gate, to the north-east of the Church of the Holy Innocents (Grade I-listed).

It is of Portland stone and takes the form of a Greek cross atop a tapering octagonal shaft with moulded foot. The shaft rises from a small octagonal pedestal atop a wide octagonal plinth. The plinth has a flat, stone cap with moulded cornice beneath and stands on a moulded foot. The whole surmounts a two-stepped, square base. All lettering is incised.

The main inscription is to the north-east face of the plinth and reads ERECTED/ TO THE MEN OF/ THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918. The names of 22 parishioners who died in the First World War are recorded on the remaining faces of the plinth; the 23rd name is inscribed to the north-west face of the plinth foot.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 18 February 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/135659/
War Memorials Register, accessed 18 January 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5092
Other
‘Great Barton War Memorial: An Agreement At Last’, Bury Free Press, (24 July 1920), pp3
‘Great Barton’s Tribute’, Bury Free Press, (09 April 1921), pp2
‘Lively Memorial Meeting’, Bury Free Press, (24 April 1920), pp3

Legal

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