Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled on 3 April 1921.
Description
First World War memorial, 1921.
DESCRIPTION: Fornham St Martin War Memorial is located at the northernmost corner of the churchyard of the Church of St Martin (Grade II*-listed), beside the main road through the village.
The memorial is of rough-hewn, grey granite and takes the form of a wheel-head cross with a tapering, four-sided shaft. The north face of the cross-head has five raised circular bosses, one to the centre and to each of the four cross arms. The shaft rises from a tapering, four-sided plinth surmounting a single-stepped, square base.
The main inscription is in leaded lettering to a smooth, inset panel to the north face of the plinth and reads, TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ (14 NAMES)/ ALL OF THIS PARISH, WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1919./ “THEY DID THEIR DUTY.”/ ALSO OF (1 NAME).
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 Fornham St Martin as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 15 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was erected by Mr F H Goddard (builder) of Bury St Edmunds, who built several other war memorials in nearby parishes. The memorial was unveiled on 3 April 1921 by Lieutenant-Colonel Long and dedicated by the rector, Reverend H Buckton.
Reasons for Listing
Fornham St Martin War Memorial, which is situated in St Martin’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 First World War.
Architectural interest:
* a well-executed wheel-head cross memorial.
Group value:
* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Martin.
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
Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House