Summary
First World War memorial, erected around 1920, with Second World War additions.
Description
First World War memorial, erected around 1920 with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: dark grey marble.
DESCRIPTION: Whittington War Memorial is located in the churchyard of Christchurch, Whittington Hill, Whittington, Norfolk. It is prominently situated by the churchyard wall facing the road. It comprises a polished marble obelisk, the shaft consisting of two sections, on a tall, narrow plinth bearing inscriptions, with a two-tiered base.
The inscription is incised and reads: THE GREAT WAR/ A.D. 1914 – 1918/ ERECTED/ BY THE PEOPLE OF/ WHITTINGTON/ A.D. 1919/ IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ WHO FELL BRAVELY/ IN DEFENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY/ (NAMES)// 1939 – 1945/ (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 Whittington as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Whittington, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected, around 1920 and faces Whittington Hill. The memorial commemorates four local servicemen who fell in the First World War and one man who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Listing
Whittington War Memorial, which is situated in Christchurch 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 this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* an imposing but well-executed granite obelisk.
Group value:
* with the Grade II-listed Christchurch.
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
For the Record
Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas