Summary

First World War memorial, designed by E E Saunders and unveiled on 31 October 1920, with further names added after the Second World War

Description

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a rectangular pillar with a gabled top. The front face bears a wreath and cross carved in relief, either side of which is 1914 1919 in incised, black-painted lettering. Below, the inscription reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN/ FROM FRAMSDEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ (NAMES).

The pillar is set upon a three-stepped base and the upper step bears the following inscription: ALSO OF THE FOLLOWING WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ 1939 IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1945/ (NAMES).

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 Framsden as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 19 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was designed by E E Saunders of Cemetery Road, Ipswich, who was responsible for a number of other memorials in the Suffolk area including Bildeston (Grade II) and Woolverstone (Grade II). Framsden war memorial was unveiled on 31 October 1920 by Sir Arthur Churchman MP and dedicated by the Archdeacon of Suffolk.

Following the Second World War, three names of those who lost their lives in that war were also added.

In 2011 the inscriptions on the memorial were conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Framsden War Memorial, designed by E E Saunders and unveiled 31 October 1920, 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: an elegant and well-executed memorial pillar in Portland stone with carved decorative details;
* Group value: with St Mary’s Church (Grade I).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477938

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments