Aldeburgh War Memorial
Market Cross Place, Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1468086
- Date first listed:
- 29-Jan-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Aldeburgh War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Market Cross Place, Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1468086
- Date first listed:
- 29-Jan-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Aldeburgh War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Market Cross Place, Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Market Cross Place, Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- East Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Aldeburgh
- National Grid Reference:
- TM4654856829
Summary
War memorial, unveiled in 1921. Designed by Mr W Crum-Watson and built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley.
Reasons for Designation
Aldeburgh War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a good example of a Latin-cross type of war memorial that is accomplished in its design and execution.
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:
* with a number of listed buildings including Moot Hall (Grade I), Moot House (Grade II), Mill Inn (Grade II) and Swiss Cottage (Grade II).
History
The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War 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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
Aldeburgh War Memorial commemorates the 84 parishioners who died during the First World War. Designed by Mr W Crum-Watson and built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley, it was unveiled on 2 January 1921 by Chief Officer D Day and Alderman Percy E Clark, the Town Mayor. The memorial was dedicated by the Reverend Canon S W Goldsmith.
The names of 20 servicemen and seven civilians from the parish, who died during the Second World War, were subsequently added to the memorial.
Erected on the sea front at Aldeburgh, the hexagonal memorial garden, bounded by railway sleepers, appears to be a mid-C20 addition. To the east side of the garden is a stone plaque inscribed IN MEMORY OF THOSE LIVES LOST IN ALDEBURGH AS A RESULT OF WAR OPERATIONS 1939 – 1945, and lists the names of 19 servicemen and 7 civilians.
Details
War memorial, unveiled in 1921. Designed by Mr W Crum-Watson and built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley.
MATERIALS: carved from Portland stone, with slate inscription panels.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands on a five-stepped hexagonal base and comprises an hexagonal pedestal surmounted by a tapering hexagonal column with a Latin cross bearing a relief-carving of the Sword of Sacrifice. To each face of the dado is a recessed inscription panel. Three are inscribed 1914–18 / ARMY / (NAMES), one is inscribed 1914–18/ ROYAL NAVY / (NAMES), and one 1939–45 / ROYAL NAVY / (NAMES) / ARMY / (NAMES) / MERCHANT NAVY / (NAME). The main inscription is to the east face of the dado and includes The Royal and Borough Arms to the top corners. The inscription reads:
THEY / WHOM THIS / MONUMENT COMMEMORATES / WERE HONOURED AMONG THOSE / WHO AT THE CALL OF / KING AND COUNTRY / LEFT ALL THAT WAS / DEAR TO THEM / ENDURED HARDSHIP / FACED DANGER AND FINALLY / PASSED OUT OF SIGHT / OF MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY / AND SELF SACRIFICE / GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES / THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN / FREEDOM / Let them who come after see to it / that their names be not forgotten.
Beneath, carved in relief to the plinth of the pedestal, is the additional inscription:
ERECTED BY THEIR / FELLOW TOWNSFOLK.
A stone plaque has been added to the top step of the base beneath and is inscribed ‘CIVILIANS KILLED BY ENEMY ACTION’ and lists the names of 7 civilians below.
Sources
Websites
Aldeburgh, accessed 20 November 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/117297/
Aldeburgh, accessed 20 November 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5407
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 18-Jul-2026 at 01:31:32.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.