Occold War Memorial

Burial Ground, Church Street, Occold, Suffolk, IP23 7PW

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Overview

War memorial. Erected, following the First World War, in 1920 by the stonemasons Messrs Perfitt of Diss. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1458936
Date first listed:: 12-Sep-2018
List Entry Name:: Occold War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Burial Ground, Church Street, Occold, Suffolk, IP23 7PW

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1458936
Date first listed:: 12-Sep-2018
List Entry Name:: Occold War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Burial Ground, Church Street, Occold, Suffolk, IP23 7PW

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:: Burial Ground, Church Street, Occold, Suffolk, IP23 7PW

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: Mid Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Occold
National Grid Reference:: TM1558270801

Summary

War memorial. Erected, following the First World War, in 1920 by the stonemasons Messrs Perfitt of Diss.

Reasons for Designation

Occold War Memorial, erected in 1920 in the burial ground south of Church Street, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as a poignant reminder of the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made during the First World War;

Architectural interest:

* as a well-crafted memorial broadly derived from the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission;

Group value:

* with the Grade II*-listed former Church of St Michael.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Occold in the burial ground to the south of Church Street and the Church of St Michael (Grade II*-listed, List Entry 1352447). It serves as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives during the First World War. The design for the memorial was derived from the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield’s ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ for the Imperial War Graves Commission. Variations on Blomfield’s design appeared in stone masons catalogues and were chosen for local war memorials across England. It was erected by the stonemasons Messrs Perfitt of Diss and unveiled by Lord Henniker during a memorial ceremony on Sunday 28 November 1920.

Details

War memorial. Erected, following the First World War, in 1920 by the stonemasons Messrs Perfitt of Diss.

MATERIALS: carved from stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is situated in the burial ground to the south of Church Street and the Church of St Michael (Grade II*-listed). It comprises a tall elongated Latin stone cross with a tapering octagonal shaft. The shaft stands on an octagonal plinth, itself resting on a two-stepped octagonal base. On the front (north-east) face of the plinth is the inscription in leaded lettering: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD,/ AND IN GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS/ PARISH, WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914–1918. The names of 15 members of the community who lost their lives are inscribed on the north and east faces of the plinth.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, , accessed 23 July 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4802

Legal

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