Summary

First World War memorial granite cross, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The memorial stands in a prominent roadside location beside Westleton Road, opposite the Church of St James (Grade II) and the remains of All Saints' Church (Grade II). It comprises a grey granite wheel-head cross bearing a reversed sword on its front face, standing on a tapering plinth with a single-stepped base. The memorial is approached from the road by a short flight of steps, made of blocks of grey granite.

The principal dedicatory inscription in applied metal lettering to the front face of the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF/ (10 NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHT/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1918./ THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH/ (1 NAME). The commemorated names are recorded with regiment or Service, and date of death.

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 Dunwich as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 10 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 16 May 1920. The name of one parishioner who died during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Dunwich War Memorial Cross, which stands opposite the Church of St James, 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:

* a simple yet poignant granite wheel-head cross, in the Celtic style.

Group value:

* with the Church of St James and the Remains of All Saints' Church 25 metres South of Church of St James (both Grade II-listed).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479412

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

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)