Little Waldingfield War Memorial

Summary

First World War Memorial by F J Lindley of Sudbury in May 1921 by Colonel the Honourable H W Lowry-Corry of Edwardstone Hall. It was dedicated by the Reverend A H Douglas-Naylor. Later additions were added following the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Little Waldingfield War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* it is a well-detailed memorial in the form of a Celtic cross.

Historic interest:

* it is 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:

* it has group value with the Grade I listed Church of St Lawrence, and with Churchside to the west and The Priory to the south, both Grade II listed.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Previously, memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 Little Waldingfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the eight members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was designed and executed by local sculptor Mr F J Lindley of Sudbury, and was unveiled on Sunday 15 May 1921 by Colonel the Honourable H W Lowry-Corry of Edwardstone Hall. It was dedicated by the Reverend A H Douglas-Naylor.

The names of the two parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War Memorial.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

PLAN: the memorial stands in the churchyard of the Grade I listed Church of St Lawrence, and is overlooked by Churchside to the west and The Priory to the south, both Grade II listed.

EXTERIOR: it is in the form of a plain, tapering Celtic cross set atop a tall tapering plinth and a two-stepped base. The incised lettering on the front (south) face of the plinth reads:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918/

The ranks, names, regiments and years of death of the eight First World War fallen are given on the west and east sides of the plinth.

On the front of the upper step of the base is the additional inscription ‘1939-1945’ with details of the fallen given on the west and east sides of the step. The name of the sculptor is also incised in small letters on the front of the upper step of the base.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, accessed 19 June 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/
War Memorials Online database, accessed 19 June 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/
LITTLE WALDINGFIELD HISTORY SOCIETY: Somme Remembrance, accessed 19 June 2017 from https://littlewaldingfieldhistorysociety.wordpress.com/2016/07/01/somme-remembrance/

Other
‘Little Waldingfield War Memorial Unveiled’, The Suffolk and Essex Free Press, Wednesday 18 May 1921, p.5, col.5.

End of official list entry

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