Middleton War Memorial
c13m to the south-west of the church porch, St Mary's Church, Lynn Road, Middleton, Norfolk, PE32 1RH
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1454519
- Date first listed:
- 21-Mar-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Middleton War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- c13m to the south-west of the church porch, St Mary's Church, Lynn Road, Middleton, Norfolk, PE32 1RH
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1454519
- Date first listed:
- 21-Mar-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Middleton War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- c13m to the south-west of the church porch, St Mary's Church, Lynn Road, Middleton, Norfolk, PE32 1RH
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:
- c13m to the south-west of the church porch, St Mary's Church, Lynn Road, Middleton, Norfolk, PE32 1RH
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- King's Lynn and West Norfolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Middleton
- National Grid Reference:
- TF6625415971
Summary
First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Middleton 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 conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* a decorated war memorial in the Classical style, in granite, forming a strong visual contrast to the carstone rubble walling of the church to the rear.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Mary (Grade II*-listed) and numerous Grade II-listed churchyard monuments.
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 Middleton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates 30 local servicemen who died in the First World War. The names of four men who died in the Second World War were added to the memorial after that conflict.
Details
The polished grey granite memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade II*-listed), beside the path leading to the south porch. It is in close proximity to numerous Grave II-listed churchyard monuments. It comprises a Classical vase with two krater-like handles and etched decoration standing on the pedimented top of a stele, square on plan. The stele has a two-stage base and the whole is set on a square concrete platform.
The front faces of the pediments are etched with decorative foliage motifs, while the top and bottom of the stele are encircled by an incised pattern echoing the form of metopes. The principal dedicatory inscription, incised to the front face of the stele, reads SACRED/ TO THE MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ OF MIDDLETON/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR/ LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919/ 'GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS'/ JOHN 15: 13. The commemorated First World War names are listed to either side of the stele, whilst, to the rear, the Second World War inscription reads 1939-1945/ (NAMES).
The memorial is enclosed by a metal rail carried by eight low ornamental iron posts.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 6 February 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/225408/
War Memorials Register, accessed 6 February 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/53424
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 16-Jun-2026 at 11:38:34.
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.