Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

Rougham War Memorial is located in the northern part of the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed). The memorial consists of a two-stepped base surmounted by a plinth from which rises a tall wheel-head cross. A small stone flower vase is let into the lower step of the base on the south side. The memorial stands on a square, paved, apron and is surrounded by oak posts linked with chains.

The inscriptions are incised in the stone and painted. The First World War dedication is located on the north face of the plinth and reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF ROUGHAM/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919/ (27 NAMES). The Second World War dedication is located on the south face of the plinth and reads 1939 – 1945/ (5 NAMES).

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 13 January 2017.

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. One such memorial was raised at Rougham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.  It commemorates 27 local servicemen who died during the First World War and was dedicated on 5 June 1921 by Major E E Pearson. The memorial cost £138 17s.

Following the Second World War a dedication was added to commemorate the five fallen of that conflict. In 2014 a project was undertaken to conserve the memorial with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust: this included the renewal of the old oak posts with new timber and the replacement of the original concrete apron with new concrete paving slabs.

Reasons for Listing

Rougham War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet dignified Celtic cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26678094

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)