Summary
A First World War memorial in the form of an obelisk, standing in the churchyard of All Saints Church.
Description
War Memorial commemorating the fallen of the First World War, erected around 1920, prominently sited within the churchyard to the north of All Saints Church. It is executed in marble and takes the form of an obelisk, set on a two-tiered plinth within a square enclosure defined by low marble posts, linked by chains. The upper edge of the plinth's top tier is moulded, whilst that to the lower tier carries a simple chamfer. To the front of the enclosure, set either side of the approach to the memorial are two small urns.
The upper tier bears the names of the fallen in leaded lettering. These are replicated within the church on a hand-written wall-hung Roll of Honour.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the single biggest wave of public commemoration ever experienced in England, with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country, both as a result of the huge impact of the loss of three quarters of a million lives had on communities throughout the nation, 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 memorial was erected within the churchyard of All Saints Church at Wacton around 1920 to commemorate the ten servicemen from the village who lost their lives in the conflict.
Reasons for Listing
Wacton War Memorial standing in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Wacton, in Norfolk 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 sacrifices made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a simple but well-executed design in the form of an obelisk, executed in marble
Group value:
* with the Church of All Saints (Grade I) and Wacton House (Grade II).
External Links
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
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)