Summary
First World War memorial, erected around 1920, with Second World War additions.
Description
First World War memorial, erected around 1920.
MATERIALS: grey granite.
DESCRIPTION: Trunch War Memorial is located in the churchyard of St Botolph’s Church, Front Street, Trunch, Norfolk. It is prominently situated by the church porch. It comprises a rough-hewn wheel-head cross on a wide plinth set into a concrete base. The plinth bears the inscriptions in incised and blacked lettering.
The inscription reads: IN MEMORY OF/ THE TRUNCH MEN WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ (NAMES)/ FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH/ (NAME) 1939 – 1945.
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 Trunch as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Trunch, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected, around 1920. The memorial commemorates 14 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and one man who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Listing
Trunch War Memorial, which is situated in St Botolph’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 this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a simple but dignified granite cross.
Group value:
* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Botolph and the Grade II-listed Tudor Cottage.
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
Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)