Kirton War Memorial
Church of St Mary and St Martin, Church Lane, Kirton, Ipswich, IP10 0PT
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1469993
- Date first listed:
- 29-May-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Kirton War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Church of St Mary and St Martin, Church Lane, Kirton, Ipswich, IP10 0PT
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1469993
- Date first listed:
- 29-May-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Kirton War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Church of St Mary and St Martin, Church Lane, Kirton, Ipswich, IP10 0PT
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:
- Church of St Mary and St Martin, Church Lane, Kirton, Ipswich, IP10 0PT
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- East Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Kirton
- National Grid Reference:
- TM2810239703
Summary
A First World War memorial dating to around 1920 with additions after the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Kirton War Memorial 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 good example of a Latin cross with relief-carved decoration.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Martin (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 Kirton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the seven members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The names of the three parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
The Kirton War Memorial is prominently located in the graveyard surrounding the C16 Grade II listed St Mary and St Martin's Church, around six metres south-west of the church tower. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 17 October 1920 by Brigadier-General S E Massy-Lloyd.
Details
A First World War memorial dating to around 1920 with additions after the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Portland stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is a Latin cross supporting a carved body of Christ under a pitched roof. The cross stands on a two stage square plinth on a square base. It faces north. The main inscription on the upper stage of the north face of the plinth reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF KIRTON/ WHO DIED FOR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ 1914–1918
Beneath the main inscription on the lower stage of the plinth another inscription reads: JESU MERCY/ MAY LIGHT PERPETUAL SHINE UPON THEM
The names of the fallen in the First World War are on the upper stage of the east and west faces of the plinth, with seven names inscribed on each face. A further inscription on the upper stage of the south face of the plinth reads: 1939–1945/ (3 NAMES).
Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museum / War Memorials Register, accessed 16 March 2020 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/5328
Photograph on geograph, accessed 26 March 2020 from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4389972
Historical photograph on flickr, accessed 26 March 2020 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kindredspirituk/3300626684/in/photolist-hax1Jq-hax69h-FAbqUs-G6wdhL-9Pgauk-CCKNDv-ab6q8j-fBCZvY-DJQ4r-nR9xi2-6gPqmh-dfaGZY-62EzjC-5NLQdm-ab6r5C-8GACYR-8GACkZ-nRarq6-NcC5c6-8GDMe7-FQa4R5-92Gw43-69LhKH-92GvXQ-92GvT3-SUu6yt-dfaH9w-rxqVVt-dfaHps-dfaHnb-dfaHjj-dfaHfW-dfaHcb-dfaGya-dfaH3N-dfaGqK-dfaGVS-dfaGkM-dfaGQ3-dfaGLY-dfaGHN/
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 14-Jun-2026 at 15:54:08.
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.