Summary
First World War memorial, erected in 1924, with Second World War additions. It was designed by Charles W Waymouth of London and executed by Messrs Farmer and Brindley of London. In the later C20, between 1958 and 1978, it was moved to its present location at the centre of the village cemetery.
Reasons for Designation
Wickhambrook War Memorial, unveiled and dedicated in 1924, moved to the village cemetery between 1958 and 1978, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial which takes the form of an elaborately carved Latin cross.
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 Wickhambrook in Suffolk as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 20 local men who lost their lives in the conflict. It was unveiled on 27 April 1924 by Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Briggs KCB KCMG, and paid for by public subscription.
The memorial was designed by the architect Charles W Waymouth of London and erected by Farmer and Brindley, monumental stonemasons, of London. It was originally erected at Thorn's Corner, Shop Hill, on land opposite the Primitive Methodist Chapel, which was given to the parish by Mr RB Warner-Bromley, Chairman of the War Memorial Committee.
Following the Second World War the names of six parishioners who fell in that conflict were added to the memorial.
In the later C20, between 1958 and 1978, the memorial was moved to the village cemetery.
Details
First World War memorial, 1924, with Second World War additions. It was designed by Charles W Waymouth of London and executed by Messrs Farmer and Brindley of London. In the later C20, between 1958 and 1978, it was moved to its present location at the centre of the village cemetery.
MATERIALS: Portland stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises an elaborately carved Latin cross with a tapering, octagonal shaft. The shaft rises from a deep, tapering, octagonal plinth which stands on a three-stepped base.
The First World War dedicatory inscription is in incised leaded lettering on the front (north-west) face of the plinth, beneath a shallow relief carving of the arms of Edward the Confessor. It reads: IN GRATEFUL / MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF / WICKHAMBROOK / WHO LAID DOWN THEIR / LIVES IN THE / GREAT WAR / 1914 -1918.
Carved in shallow relief on the plinth is a verse from Revelations 2:10 which reads:
BE THOU / FAITHFUL UNTO / DEATH [names] on the south-west face; AND I WILL GIVE / THEE' [names] on the south-east face; ETERNAL LIFE [names] on the north-east face. The latter face also bears the inscription: THE NUMBER OF MEN / FROM THIS PARISH / WHO SERVED WAS 134.
The Second World War dedication is inscribed on the north-west (front) face of the stepped based and reads: 1939 - 1945 on the top step with the names of the six men who died being inscribed on the middle step. On the bottom step is the inscription: THE MEMORIAL TO THESE MEN IS IN THE VILLAGE HALL / NEAR THIS PLACE.
