Hopton War Memorial

Churchyard of All Saints Church, Junction of High Street and Thelnetham Road, Hopton, Suffolk, IP22 2QY

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

Overview

A war memorial in the churchyard of All Saints Church at Hopton in Suffolk commemorating the members of the parish who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1468465
Date first listed:: 05-Mar-2020
List Entry Name:: Hopton War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of All Saints Church, Junction of High Street and Thelnetham Road, Hopton, Suffolk, IP22 2QY

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1468465
Date first listed:: 05-Mar-2020
List Entry Name:: Hopton War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of All Saints Church, Junction of High Street and Thelnetham Road, Hopton, Suffolk, IP22 2QY

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:: Churchyard of All Saints Church, Junction of High Street and Thelnetham Road, Hopton, Suffolk, IP22 2QY

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: West Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Hopton
National Grid Reference:: TL9936979027

Summary

A war memorial in the churchyard of All Saints Church at Hopton in Suffolk commemorating the members of the parish who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.

Reasons for Designation

Hopton War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

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.

Architectural interest:

* as a well-executed example of a decorated stone churchyard obelisk.

Group value:

* the memorial stands close to the Church of All Saints (listed at Grade I) and High Gables (listed at Grade II).

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 Hopton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 14 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was erected by mason Marcus C Nurse at a cost of £61 10s 9d and unveiled on 28 September 1919.

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

Details

A war memorial erected in 1919 in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Hopton, in Suffolk.

MATERIALS: the memorial is formed of ashlar limestone, embellished with carved decoration and inscriptions.

DETAILS: the memorial stands in the churchyard of the Grade-I Church of All Saints, and sited to the south-west of the church entrance. The memorial is 2.5m high and comprises a square stone obelisk with a pyramidal top. Each face of the obelisk is surmounted by an apex with foliate decoration. A horizontal band of relief-carved circles sits between these apexes and the obelisk’s pyramidal top. The memorial is set atop a three-tiered plinth and stands upon a square base.

The main inscription is incised on the west face of the obelisk and reads: IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO LAID/ DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ (NAMES)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT/ A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.

Below this, on the west face of the upper step of the plinth is the additional inscription: 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

The names of the fallen are grouped by regiment, and the details given include service number, rank, surname, initials and unit.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online - Hopton, accessed 18 July 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/117480/
War Memorials Register - Imperial War Museum, accessed 18 July 2017 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5221

Legal

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