Stretham War Memorial

Churchyard of St James' Church, High Street, Stretham, CB6 3LD

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

War memorial, unveiled in 1922, dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1463649
Date first listed:: 26-Apr-2019
List Entry Name:: Stretham War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of St James' Church, High Street, Stretham, CB6 3LD

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1463649
Date first listed:: 26-Apr-2019
List Entry Name:: Stretham War Memorial
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of St James' Church, High Street, Stretham, CB6 3LD

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:: Churchyard of St James' Church, High Street, Stretham, CB6 3LD

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

County:: Cambridgeshire
District:: East Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
Parish:: Stretham
National Grid Reference:: TL5121774621

Summary

War memorial, unveiled in 1922, dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars.

Reasons for Designation

Stretham war memorial, unveiled in 1922, dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest: * as a modest but well-executed memorial;

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;

Group value: * for the strong geographic group value the war memorial holds with nearby listed buildings, including the Church of St James (listed at Grade II*), and the village cross (also listed at Grade II*).

History

The aftermath of the First World War (1914-18) 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 in the churchyard of the Church of St James in Stretham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 24 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial cost £100, and was unveiled on 2 July 1922 by Lieutenant-Colonel F J M Stratton, DSO and dedicated on the same day by the Right Rev Bishop Price, DD. Following the Second World War (1939-45), the names of eleven members of the local community who lost their lives were added to the war memorial.

Details

War memorial, unveiled in 1922, dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is constructed of Ketton stone, and takes the form of a Celtic cross on a square plinth and four-stepped base. The front (east) elevation of the plinth bears the following inscription: ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE MEN OF STRETHAM WHO FELL / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 / (NAMES)’. A stone slab resting on the third step is inscribed: ‘1939 - 1945 / (NAMES)’. The war memorial stands within the churchyard of the Church of St James, opposite the village cross (both listed at Grade II*).

Sources

Websites
IWM, ‘Stretham’, accessed 14 March 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/8407
Roll of Honour, ‘Cambridgeshire, Stretham’, accessed 14 March 2019 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/Stretham.html
War Memorials Online, 'Stretham', accessed 14 March 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/142282/

Legal

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