Wickhambrook War Memorial

Wickhambrook Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Wickhambrook, Suffolk, CB8 8UW

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

Overview

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. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1464940
Date first listed:: 01-Nov-2019
List Entry Name:: Wickhambrook War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Wickhambrook Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Wickhambrook, Suffolk, CB8 8UW

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1464940
Date first listed:: 01-Nov-2019
List Entry Name:: Wickhambrook War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Wickhambrook Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Wickhambrook, Suffolk, CB8 8UW

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:: Wickhambrook Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Wickhambrook, Suffolk, CB8 8UW

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: West Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Wickhambrook
National Grid Reference:: TL7457855466

Summary

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.

Sources

Websites
Wickhambrook War Memorial, War Memorials Online website, accessed 5 June 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/200933
Other
Bury Free Press, 3 May 1924, pp2

Legal

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