Summary

First World War memorial, with Second World War additions.

Description

First World War memorial, with Second World War additions.

DESCRIPTION: Erpingham war memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed). It is prominently situated towards the churchyard entrance.

The memorial takes the form of a stone wheel-head cross on a moulded, slender shaft. The cross rises from a two-tiered, tapering plinth of four sides, beneath which is a single circular stone step base. The plinth carries the inscriptions in incised lettering.

The inscription reads: PRO PATRIA/ 1914 - 1919/ 1939 – 1945

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, 24 November 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. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Erpingham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Like many Norfolk war memorials, Erpingham memorial is situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected not long after the end of the First World War and commemorates 11 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and two men who fell in the Second World War.

Reasons for Listing

Erpingham War Memorial, which is situated in St Mary’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:
* as a simple yet dignified stone wheel-head cross.

Group Value: for its relationship with the Grade I-listed Church of St Mary

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478840

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

• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)