Southery War Memorial Cross

c160m north-west of St Mary's Church, Junction of Upgate Street and Recreation Drive, Southery, Norfolk, PE38 0NA

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Overview

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1921, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457434
Date first listed:: 08-Aug-2018
List Entry Name:: Southery War Memorial Cross
Statutory Address:: c160m north-west of St Mary's Church, Junction of Upgate Street and Recreation Drive, Southery, Norfolk, PE38 0NA

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457434
Date first listed:: 08-Aug-2018
List Entry Name:: Southery War Memorial Cross
Statutory Address 1:: c160m north-west of St Mary's Church, Junction of Upgate Street and Recreation Drive, Southery, Norfolk, PE38 0NA

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:: c160m north-west of St Mary's Church, Junction of Upgate Street and Recreation Drive, Southery, Norfolk, PE38 0NA

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:: Southery
National Grid Reference:: TL6205694692

Summary

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1921, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Southery War Memorial Cross, which stands at the junction of Upgate Street (B1160) and Recreation Drive, 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 memorial cross.

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 Southery as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 48 members of the local community who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of ten men who died in that conflict were added to the memorial.

Polished dark granite tablets were added to the pedestal sometime before 2016, covering the original inscriptions.

Details

Southery War Memorial is located in a roadside enclosure at the junction of Upgate Street (B1160) and Recreation Drive. It comprises an approximately 3.5m tall stone Latin cross. The cross-head, pierced through the centre, rises from the collar of a slender cross shaft, hexagonal in section. The cross shaft stands on a hexagonal pedestal with shallow cornice, on a four-stepped hexagonal base.

Dark polished stone tablets fixed to the faces of the pedestal bear the inscriptions. The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the pedestal reads REMEMBER/ THE MEN OF/ SOUTHERY/ WHO DIED FOR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. This is incised below the figure of a wreath. The commemorated names are listed on the other tablets, arranged by year of death. To the chamfered foot of the pedestal, the Second World War dedication reads AND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945.

The new polished stone tablets, which are attached on top of the original inscribed lettering, record the historic information but are not of special interest in their own right. It is the original structure that has special interest.

The memorial is surrounded by six low posts connected by a chain, and stands within a railed and hedged enclosure.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 11 May 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19827

Legal

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