Great Blakenham War Memorial
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1467908
- Date first listed:
- 15-Jan-2020
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of Church of St Mary, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham, Suffolk, IP6 0NJ
Map
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Location
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of Church of St Mary, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham, Suffolk, IP6 0NJ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- Mid Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Great Blakenham
- National Grid Reference:
- TM1179950814
Summary
A stone war memorial cross of 1920 date.
Reasons for Designation
Great Blakenham War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
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.
Architectural interest:
* it is a well-detailed war memorial in the form of a stone cross.
Group value:
* it has group value with the Church of St Mary (listed at Grade I).
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. The memorials, therefore, provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Great Blakenham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 13 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was erected by Mr Charles Mee (builder) and was unveiled on Sunday 29 August 1920 by Brigadier-General AL Schreiber CB CMG DSO.
The names of the six parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Details
A war memorial of 1920 date.
MATERIALS: constructed of a granite cross and York stone base.
DESCRIPTION: comprising a short wheel cross set atop a tall circular stone column standing on a square plinth with chamfered corners. The column rests on a four-stepped stone base set within a flowerbed.
The main inscription is in leaded lettering on the west face of the plinth and reads: TO/ THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE/ OF/ THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918. The names of the First World War fallen are listed on the south and east faces of the plinth, with the names on the east face being followed by the sentence: "OUR DEAD THROUGH WHOM WE LIVE." The inscription on the north face of the plinth reads: ERECTED/ BY THE/ PARISHIONERS/ OF/ GREAT BLAKENHAM.
A later stone tablet has been affixed to the west front of the top two steps, on which is inscribed: AND/ 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).
Sources
Websites
War Memorial Register - UK National Inventory of War Memorials: Great Blakenham, accessed 11 November 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4700
Other
East Anglian Daily Times, 30 August 1920
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
End of official listing
