Summary

First World War memorial.

Description

First World War memorial.

MATERIALS: stone.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade II* listed). It takes the form of an obelisk rising from a four-sided tapering plinth on a three-stepped base.

INSCRIPTION: all lettering is incised. The inscription is on the east face of the plinth and reads: SACRED/ TO THE MEMORY OF/ (4 NAMES)/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO DIED SERVING THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918. To the step below is the inscription: R.I.P ,in foliate-style lettering.

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at East Bilney 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 was presumably erected not long after the end of the war and, like many Norfolk war memorials, is situated within the churchyard. The memorial commemorates the four local servicemen who fell in the First World War.

Reasons for Listing

East Bilney 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 during the First World War.

Architectural interest:
* a well-executed stone obelisk.

Group Value: with the Grade II* listed Church of St Mary.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478855

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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