Raveningham War Memorial Cross
c20m to the south-west of St Andrew's Church, The churchyard, Raveningham Hall, Beccles Road, Raveningham, NR14 6NR
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1456201
- Date first listed:
- 24-Jul-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Raveningham War Memorial Cross
- Statutory Address:
- c20m to the south-west of St Andrew's Church, The churchyard, Raveningham Hall, Beccles Road, Raveningham, NR14 6NR
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1456201
- Date first listed:
- 24-Jul-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Raveningham War Memorial Cross
- Statutory Address 1:
- c20m to the south-west of St Andrew's Church, The churchyard, Raveningham Hall, Beccles Road, Raveningham, NR14 6NR
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:
- c20m to the south-west of St Andrew's Church, The churchyard, Raveningham Hall, Beccles Road, Raveningham, NR14 6NR
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- South Norfolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Raveningham
- National Grid Reference:
- TM3975896389
Summary
Portland stone First World War memorial cross, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Raveningham War Memorial Cross, 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:
* an elegant Portland stone memorial cross, referencing the C13 octagonal upper stage of the adjacent church tower.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Andrew (Grade II*-listed) and the Grade II* park of Raveningham Hall.
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 Raveningham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 14 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was designed by Arthur Pells, FSI, architect and Chartered Surveyor (based in nearby Beccles), whose drawing of the memorial is dated July 1920. The design was approved at a meeting of parishioners held on 4 August 1920, and the memorial appears to have been erected in 1921. It was built by HA King (Builder, Contractor and General Mason). Following the Second World War the name of one man who died in that conflict was added to the memorial.
Details
The Portland stone war memorial cross stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Andrew (Grade II*-listed), within the Grade II* park of Raveningham Hall. It is prominently situated by the path, near to the church porch.
Reflecting the octagonal upper stage of the church’s round tower, the memorial comprises a cross patée, octagonal in section, with a moulded foot. The cross shaft stands on tapering plinth, octagonal on plan. The plinth stands on a three-stepped, octagonal, base.
The principal inscription on the front face of the plinth reads TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN / HONOURED/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918. The commemorated names are recorded on other faces of the plinth, along with the dedication THIS CROSS/ IS SET UP IN/ GRATEFUL/ REMEMBRANCE/ OF THOSE WHO/ PRESERVED OUR/ HOMES IN TIME/ OF DANGER. The later Second World War dedication reads AND OF THE WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945/ (NAME).
The inscriptions continue, running around faces of the upper step of the base, reading THEIR NAME/ LIVETH FOR/ EVERMORE and on the middle step, TO THE ARMS OF/ THY LOVE WE/ COMMIT THEM.
Sources
Websites
Roll of Honour - Norfolk, Raveningham, accessed 9 April 2018 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Raveningham.html
Beccles and District Museum World War I project, accessed 9 April 2018 from http://becclesmuseumdata.co.uk/Pictures03/Memorial_Raveningham.php
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 29-Jun-2026 at 08:18:48.
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.