Summary
First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.
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 Drayton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The inscription reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE/ DRAYTON MEN/ WHO DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE/ 1914 - 1918/ (NAMES)/ The epitaph reads "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS"/ IN MEMORY OF/ THE FALLEN/1939 – 1945 WAR.
The memorial is set within a raised square enclosure of knapped flint walling with shallow flat stone copings. The enclosure takes up the slope of the higher ground to the rear of the memorial.
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 St Margaret's Church, School Road, Drayton in Norfolk around 1920. The memorial commemorates the nine servicemen from the village who lost their lives in the conflict, and carries a later general dedication for the Fallen of the Second World War whose names are recorded within the church.
Reasons for Listing
Drayton War Memorial, which is situated in the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, 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 dignified and well-executed design in the form of a wheel-headed cross.
Group value
* with the Church of St Margaret (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.
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