Witton War Memorial Cross

c13m north-west of St Margaret's Church, The churchyard, Witton Lane, Witton, Norfolk, NR13 5DN

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

Overview

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1920. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457332
Date first listed:: 24-Jul-2018
List Entry Name:: Witton War Memorial Cross
Statutory Address:: c13m north-west of St Margaret's Church, The churchyard, Witton Lane, Witton, Norfolk, NR13 5DN

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457332
Date first listed:: 24-Jul-2018
List Entry Name:: Witton War Memorial Cross
Statutory Address 1:: c13m north-west of St Margaret's Church, The churchyard, Witton Lane, Witton, Norfolk, NR13 5DN

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:: c13m north-west of St Margaret's Church, The churchyard, Witton Lane, Witton, Norfolk, NR13 5DN

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

County:: Norfolk
District:: Broadland (District Authority)
Parish:: Postwick with Witton
National Grid Reference:: TG3140909731

Summary

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Witton 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* a tall wheel-head cross in granite, in the Celtic style; * unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Margaret (Grade II*-listed).

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 Witton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by three members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 31 October, 1920 and dedicated by the Reverend J Blackbourne CMG (Rector of Acle).

Details

The grey granite war memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Margaret (Grade II*-listed). It is prominently situated by the churchyard path. It comprises a tall rough-hewn wheel-head cross with a sword of sacrifice carved on the front face. The cross stands on a tapering pedestal with single-stepped base below. The cross shaft and pedestal bear the inscriptions in applied metal lettering.

The principal dedicatory inscription begins on the front face of the cross shaft, reading TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN HONOURED/ MEMORY OF and continues below on the pedestal THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918./ (3 NAMES)/ “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”.

Sources

Other
‘Witton: War Memorial Dedicated’, Thetford & Watton Times and People's Weekly Journal, 6 November 1920, p11

Legal

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