Palgrave War Memorial
St Peter's Churchyard, Lion Road, Palgrave, Suffolk, IP22 1AN
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1470229
- Date first listed:
- 29-May-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Palgrave War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- St Peter's Churchyard, Lion Road, Palgrave, Suffolk, IP22 1AN
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1470229
- Date first listed:
- 29-May-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Palgrave War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- St Peter's Churchyard, Lion Road, Palgrave, Suffolk, IP22 1AN
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:
- St Peter's Churchyard, Lion Road, Palgrave, Suffolk, IP22 1AN
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- Mid Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Palgrave
- National Grid Reference:
- TM1155878448
Summary
A First World War memorial unveiled in 1920, altered following the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Palgrave War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural Interest:
* as a good example of a carved Celtic cross.
Historic Interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Peter (Grade I), the K6 telephone kiosk and other churchyard memorials (all 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 Palgrave as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 15 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The names of the seven parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
The cross is located in a prominent position south of the Grade I listed Church of St Peter, between the porch and tower. It is in sight of the main gate in the churchyard wall to Lion Road. The memorial cross was supplied by Messrs Maile and Son of London and the flint base was built by Mr Ruffels of Palgrave. The memorial was unveiled on 21 March 1920 by Lieutenant Walter Clarke and dedicated by the Reverend E Lloyd Savory, Rector of Palgrave. The total cost of the memorial was around £130 which was raised by public subscription.
Details
A First World War memorial unveiled in 1920, altered following the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Granite
DESCRIPTION: The memorial is a 2.4m high Celtic cross. The cross has a circular boss to its centre. Its arms are decorated with knotwork in carved relief. The cross is supported by a tapered shaft on a plinth of two stages. The plinth sits on a square base, below which is a square platform of flint rubble.
The main inscription on the south face reads:
(on cross shaft) IN/ LOVING/ MEMORY/ OF/
(on the upper stage of the plinth) (15 NAMES)/
(on the lower stage of the plinth) WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918
An additional inscription on the west face reads:
(on cross shaft) IN/ LOVING/ MEMORY/ OF/
(on the upper stage of the plinth) (7 NAMES)/
(on the lower stage of the plinth) WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939–1945
Sources
Websites
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register Online, accessed 2 April 2020 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4810
Photograph from geograph, accessed 2 April 2020 from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3603767
Photograph from geograph, accessed 2 April 2020 from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3603774
Photograph from geograph, accessed 2 April 2020 from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3603776
Other
Article in The Diss Express, Friday 26 March 1920: 'Palgrave. Dedication of Memorial Cross'.
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 28-Jun-2026 at 06:24:58.
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.