Martlesham War Memorial
Churchyard of the Church St Mary the Virgin, Church Lane, Martlesham, Suffolk, IP12 4PQ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458467
- Date first listed:
- 12-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Martlesham War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church St Mary the Virgin, Church Lane, Martlesham, Suffolk, IP12 4PQ
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458467
- Date first listed:
- 12-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Martlesham War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of the Church St Mary the Virgin, Church Lane, Martlesham, Suffolk, IP12 4PQ
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:
- Churchyard of the Church St Mary the Virgin, Church Lane, Martlesham, Suffolk, IP12 4PQ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- East Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Martlesham
- National Grid Reference:
- TM2620646917
Summary
First World War memorial, 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Martlesham War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a finely carved example of a granite Celtic cross type of war memorial.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Mary the Virgin (Grade II*).
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 Martlesham 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 was erected by Mr A C Stephenson. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 14 December 1919.
Details
First World War memorial, 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: granite.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in the churchyard, to the north-west of the Church of St Mary the Virgin (Grade II*). The memorial comprises a Celtic cross on a tapering plinth with a single-stepped base. It is carved from polished granite and stands approximately 2.1m high. At the centre of the cross is a raised circular boss and on the arms of the cross is relief-carved interlace.
The main inscription in leaded lettering on the plinth reads: TO THE HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF MARTLESHAM/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914–1918/ (12 NAMES).
On the back face of the plinth the 13 names of the servicemen who died in the Second World War are listed below the inscription which reads: ALSO OF THOSE WHO FELL IN THE/ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945.
Sources
Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 25 July 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5524
War Memorials Online, accessed 25 July 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/229408
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 07:41:21.
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.