Summary

First World War memorial with Second World War additions.

Description

MATERIALS: limestone.

DESCRIPTION: Wretham War Memorial comprises a Latin cross on a faceted square plinth and a two-stepped base.

The south face bears the dedicatory inscription: IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF EAST AND WEST/ WRETHAM/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WARS/ 1914-1918/ 1939-1945. The north face reads THEIR NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR/ EVERMORE. The other faces have the lists of names incised on them.

At the base of the plinth is a slate plaque commemorating the visit of the 359th fighter group in 1985 which reads: THIS PLAQUE COMMEMORATES/ THE VISIT BY SURVIVORS OF THE/ 359TH FIGHTER GROUP/ IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE/ WHO SERVED AND DIED IN/ THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM/ 3RD AUGUST 1985.

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, 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 Wretham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates 14 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the one fallen of that conflict.

In 2012 the memorial was conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Wretham 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 this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet striking memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Ethelbert (Grade II*).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477877

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

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy