South Cove War Memorial
Churchyard of the Church of St Lawrence, South Cove, Waveney, Suffolk, NR34 7JD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458742
- Date first listed:
- 12-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- South Cove War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Lawrence, South Cove, Waveney, Suffolk, NR34 7JD
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458742
- Date first listed:
- 12-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- South Cove War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Lawrence, South Cove, Waveney, Suffolk, NR34 7JD
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 of St Lawrence, South Cove, Waveney, Suffolk, NR34 7JD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- East Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- South Cove
- National Grid Reference:
- TM4996780884
Summary
First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
South Cove War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Lawrence, 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 an elegant and well-executed stone wheel-head cross with ornately carved interlace designs.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Lawrence (Grade I).
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 South Cove as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the five members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial had been erected by the time that the local Ordnance Survey sheet was revised in 1925.
The names of the three parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial, as were the names of an American air crew who lost their lives when their plane crashed in the parish in 1945.
The amended cross was unveiled on 17 April 1949 by Colonel Sir Robert Gooch, Baronet of nearby Benacre Hall, and rededicated by the Reverend A H N Waller.
Details
First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent location in the churchyard of the church of St Lawrence (Grade I), immediately beside the path between the entrance gate and the door of the church.
The memorial comprises a 2m high stone Celtic wheel-head cross, decorated with elaborate relief-carved interlace decoration. The main inscription in leaded lettering on the front of the cross shaft reads: IN/ GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF THE/ FIVE/ SOUTH COVE MEN/ WHO MADE THE/ SUPREME SACRIFICE/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918.
On the front of the plinth is the inscription: (5 NAMES)/ THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES TO SERVE THEIR GOD/ THEIR KING AND THEIR COUNTRY IN DEFENCE/ OF TRUTH, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
On the western side of the plinth an additional inscription added in 1949 reads: AND THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR US IN THE/ SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ (3 NAMES)/ ALSO IN MEMORY OF/ THE AMERICAN AIRMEN WHO/ LOST THEIR LIVES IN THIS PARISH/ MARCH 1945.
Sources
Websites
American Air Museum in Britain, accessed 25 August 2017 from http://www.americanairmuseum.com/place/138227
War Memorial Register, accessed 25 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5053
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 04-Jul-2026 at 22:36:40.
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.