Woodbridge War Memorial

Memorial Garden, Market Hill, Woodbridge, IP12 4LP

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

Overview

A First World War memorial erected in 1920 with names added after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1477577
Date first listed:: 11-Oct-2021
List Entry Name:: Woodbridge War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Memorial Garden, Market Hill, Woodbridge, IP12 4LP

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1477577
Date first listed:: 11-Oct-2021
List Entry Name:: Woodbridge War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Memorial Garden, Market Hill, Woodbridge, IP12 4LP

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:: Memorial Garden, Market Hill, Woodbridge, IP12 4LP

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

County:: Suffolk
District:: East Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:: Woodbridge
National Grid Reference:: TM2710949118

Summary

A First World War memorial erected in 1920 with names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Woodbridge 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 an elegant and finely detailed example of a Latin cross.

Group value

* for its group value with numerous listed buildings in the vicinity, including the Grade I listed church of St Mary (National Heritage List for England (NHLE) entry 1377024), the Grade I listed Shire Hall and Corn Exchange (NHLE entry 1377037), the Grade II* listed 34 Church Street (NHLE entry 1031094) and the Grade II* listed Old Court House (NHLE entry1031037).

History

The aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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. One such memorial was raised at Woodbridge as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by eight members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial in Woodbridge was unveiled on either the 7 or 11 November 1920 (sources differ) by the Right Honourable the Earl of Stradbroke in a memorial garden on land owned by the Church of St Mary. The builder was Mr A C Stephenson.

More names were added after the Second World War.

In 2014-2015 Woodbridge Town Council and East Suffolk Council were involved in a project to restore and enhance the setting of the memorial.

Details

MATERIALS: limestone with polished black granite.

DESCRIPTION: Woodbridge War Memorial is located in the Memorial Garden on Market Hill in Woodbridge.

It takes the form of a limestone Latin cross on a polished black granite octagonal column, resting on a plinth with a three-stepped base.

The inscription reads (Names) IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/OF THE/133 WOODBRIDGE MEN/WHO MADE/THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/IN THE GREAT WAR/1914 – 1918/ (Names) (Names)/ 1939 – 1945/ (Names).

Sources

Websites
UK Inventory of War Memorials , accessed 06/08/2021 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/search
War Memorials Online , accessed 06/08/2021 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/
Woodbridge Conservation Area Appraisal, accessed 16/09/2021 from https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Planning/Design-and-Conservation/Conservation-Area-Appraisals/Woodbridge-Conservation-Area-Appraisal.pdf

Legal

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