Freethorpe War Memorial
Freethorpe War Memorial, Freethorpe Methodist Churchyard, Chapelfield, Freethorpe, Norfolk, NR13 3LY
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1454241
- Date first listed:
- 29-May-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Freethorpe War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Freethorpe War Memorial, Freethorpe Methodist Churchyard, Chapelfield, Freethorpe, Norfolk, NR13 3LY
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1454241
- Date first listed:
- 29-May-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Freethorpe War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Freethorpe War Memorial, Freethorpe Methodist Churchyard, Chapelfield, Freethorpe, Norfolk, NR13 3LY
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Freethorpe War Memorial, Freethorpe Methodist Churchyard, Chapelfield, Freethorpe, Norfolk, NR13 3LY
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- Broadland (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Freethorpe
- National Grid Reference:
- TG4083104854
Summary
A First World War memorial located in Freethorpe Methodist Church's cemetery and dating to c.1920.
Reasons for Designation
Freethorpe War Memorial, which is situated in the cemetery of Freethorpe Methodist Church and dating to around 1920, 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:
* as a simple but well-executed red granite pillar with urn.
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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Freethorpe as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Freethorpe War Memorial is located in the cemetery to the rear of Freethorpe Methodist Church, Freethorpe, Norfolk. It is prominently situated adjacent to the main path running north from the church through the length of the cemetery. It is unusual for Norfolk in that the memorial is situated within the Methodist Church’s cemetery. It cannot be seen from the main road, Chapelfield. The memorial was presumably erected, around 1920. The memorial commemorates 14 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and two men who fell in the Second World War.
Details
First World War memorial, erected around 1920.
MATERIALS: red granite
PLAN: square in plan
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a polished red granite urn atop a four-sided red granite pillar with crown-shaped moulded cap with incised floral motifs, on a red granite plinth, beneath which is a two-stepped stone base. The whole is within a small, kerbed, gravelled square bounded by 8 low, decorative iron posts connected by thick chains.
The inscription is incised on the pillar and reads: THIS MONUMENT/ IS ERECTED/ SACRED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ THOSE OF THIS PARISH/ WHOSE NAMES APPEAR/ HEREWITH/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME/ SACRIFICE DURING THE/ GREAT WAR/ AUG 1914 – NOV 1918/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO/ MAN THAN THIS, THAT A/ MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE/ FOR HIS FRIENDS// (NAMES)// (NAMES)
Sources
Websites
Geograph: Freethorpe War Memorial, accessed 26/01/18 from http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4438440
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 23:50:42.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.