Summary

First World War memorial, circa 1920, with Second World War additions.

Description

Briston War Memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints, Church Street, Briston, Norfolk. It is prominently situated beside the path leading through the churchyard. It comprises a Latin stone cross with fine Sword of Sacrifice carved in relief, as well as a wreath carved around the cross head. It is set upon a double, four-sided plinth with chamfered corners, on a single-stepped base.

The plinth bears inscriptions carved in relief which read IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF BRISTON/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 1919/ (NAMES)// THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE// 1939 1945/ (NAMES).

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 5 June 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, 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.

Briston, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected circa 1920. The memorial commemorates 25 local servicemen who fell in the First World War. Seven names of men who fell in the Second World War were added later.

Reasons for Listing

Briston War Memorial, which is situated in All Saints' Churchyard, 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;
* Design: as a small but elegant and finely worked cross with wreath and sword and relief-carved inscriptions;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of All Saints and the Grade II-listed Church House.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478421

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments