Summary
First World War memorial, c.1920, with Second World War additions.
Description
First World War memorial, c.1920.
MATERIALS: grey granite, flint.
DESCRIPTION: South Creake War Memorial is located on a triangular green at the junctions of Bluestone Road and the B1355, adjacent to the River Burn, South Creake, Norfolk. It is prominently situated on an open grassed area. It comprises a c.2.5m rough-hewn wheel-head cross on a plinth with single-stepped base, which has been elevated to allow the insertion of an additional base to bear the Second World War inscriptions.
The inscription is in leaded lettering and reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND/ THE MEN OF SOUTH CREAKE/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ (NAMES)/ IN PROUD REMEMBRANCE/ SECOND 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 South Creake as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
South Creake War Memorial was presumably erected, c.1920. It took the form of a granite wheel-head cross enclosed by four low granite posts connected by metal bars and was placed on a triangular green, close to the River Burn. The memorial commemorates 26 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and six men who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Listing
South Creake War Memorial, which is situated on a triangular green at the junctions of Bluestone Road and the B1355, 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:
* a simple but well-executed granite cross;
* as an example of a war memorial featuring a locally distinctive building material, flint.
Group value:
* with the Scheduled Monument, Beaufoe's Manor, 180m south-east of St Mary's Church.
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
Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)