Summary

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

Description

Costessey War Memorial is located in the churchyard of St Edmund’s Church, The Street, Costessey. It is situated by the south wall of the church near to the south porch. The memorial comprises a stone floriated Latin cross upon an octagonal shaft. The cross head has carved fleuron and ballflower ornamentation at the top and at the two ends of the crossbar. The shaft has two bands of foliate incised carving around the top, with incised mock-trefoil arch motifs between. The trefoil motifs are repeated around the bottom of the shaft. This meets with a moulded two-tiered octagonal plinth bearing inscriptions, which stands upon a three-stepped octagonal base.

The inscription is incised and reads: TO/ THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ UNDYING MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS/ PARISH WHO FELL/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ (NAMES)/ LIVE/ WORTHY OF/ THEIR EXAMPLE// AND THESE/ MADE THE/ SUPREME/ SACRIFICE/ 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 16/03/2017

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.

One such war memorial was raised at Costessey as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Costessey memorial, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected c.1920. It commemorates 18 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and 20 men who fell in the Second World War.

Reasons for Listing

Costessey War Memorial, which is situated in St Edmund’s 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant and well-executed floriated stone cross;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed Church of St Edmund and a Grade II-listed tombstone within the churchyard.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478475

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.

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