North Lopham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1923, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

North Lopham War Memorial, which is situated by the roadside of The Street, 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 elaborate and striking stone monument with ornamental carvings.

Group value:

* with Rosemary Cottage, a K6 Telephone Kiosk, and several other listed buildings along The Street (all 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 North Lopham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

North Lopham War Memorial commemorates 15 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and five men who fell in the Second World War. The memorial was originally funded by public subscription and was built by Messrs J Cooley and Son of Diss on land given by Mrs H Womack. It cost around £100 when completed, but the posts and rails surrounding it were not in place by the time of its unveiling. The metal rails connecting the posts were probably removed around the time of the Second World War (they are now connected by chains).

The memorial was due to be unveiled by Prince Duleep Singh, but he found himself indisposed and asked Lieutenant-Colonel Walton to stand in for him. Lieutenant-Colonel Walton duly unveiled the monument on Sunday 9 December 1923, and it was then dedicated by the Rector, the Reverend C J Eastwood, in front of a crowd estimated to be around a thousand strong.

A polished stone plaque with incised imagery and inscriptions, commemorating 18 Americans who died in a tragic air collision in 1945, was placed at the foot of the memorial in 2002. It was designed by Richard Vere.

A gravel square with low kerb was added in 2014, extending to the outer edges of the posts.

Details

First World War memorial, 1923.

DESCRIPTION: North Lopham War Memorial is located by the roadside of The Street, North Lopham, Norfolk. It is prominently situated on a grassed verge, once a more open space than since the development of more housing in the immediate area. It is 3.9m high. It consists of a “carved crochet cap” surmounting an eight-sided tapering shaft with an elaborate base section with four protruding triangular sides bearing carved laurel wreaths. It is set upon a square plinth with elaborate moulding to the cornice, on a two-tiered foot.

The plinth bears the inscriptions in incised and blacked lettering, which read IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF NORTH/ LOPHAM WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ (NAMES)/ "THERE'S SOME CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD/ THAT IS FOR EVER ENGLAND"// IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF NORTH/ LOPHAM WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS.

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 2 April 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19595
North Lopham village, accessed 2 April 2018 from http://www.northlopham.info/page7.html

Other
North Lopham War Memorial, Thetford and Watton Times and People's Weekly Journal, Saturday 15 December 1923, p9

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