Summary

First World War memorial within an enclosure, 1920, with Second World War additions.

Description

First World War memorial, 1920.

DESCRIPTION: Northwold War Memorial is located in a roadside enclosure on the north side of the High Street, close to the Church of St Andrew, Northwold, Norfolk. It comprises a plain Latin cross in Weldon limestone, which stands upon a three-tiered plinth with moulded upper edges, on a single-stepped base. It stands within a railed enclosure bounded by a semi-circular brick wall at the back. It is approached through a gate in the railings.

A sloping step with a new inscription slab was added following the Second World War; this was placed on the base at the foot of the front of the memorial. In 2013, the surface of this was replaced with black granite slabs, and the First World War inscriptions were replicated on similar panels that were affixed around the middle-tier of the plinth.

The original First World War inscription is carved in relief and reads IN UNDYING MEMORY/ OF THE NORTHWOLD MEN WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS/ (NAMES). The original Second World War inscription was incised and blacked and read IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL IN/ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

The 2013 polished granite black plaques are incised and painted white and read IN UNDYING MEMORY OF THE NORTHWOLD MEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS/ (NAMES)/ IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL/ IN WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

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 Northwold as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Northwold War Memorial commemorates 30 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and nine men who fell in the Second World War. It was paid for by public subscription at a cost of £180 on land donated by F C Fendick of Elm House, Northwold. The architect was T D Atkinson of Cambridge and the memorial was erected by masons J Whitehead of Kennington, London. It was unveiled on Sunday, 25 July 1920. The enclosure appears to be original and can be seen on photographs of the unveiling.

In 2013, the war memorial was renovated by the Parish Council including the affixing of contrasting black granite plaques that replicated the original weathered inscription.

Reasons for Listing

Northwold War Memorial, which is situated in a roadside enclosure on the north side of the High Street, close to the Church of St Andrew, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a plain but well-executed stone cross with relief-carved inscriptions.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Andrew and several Grade II-listed tombs in the churchyard, the Grade II-listed Linden Cottage and Grade II-listed 44 High Street opposite the memorial, as well as several other listed buildings on the High Street.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q56085669

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)