Summary
First World War memorial, c.1920, with Second World War additions.
Description
First World War memorial, c.1920.
MATERIALS: Portland stone.
DESCRIPTION: Smallburgh War Memorial is located in the churchyard of St Peter’s Church, Hall Road, Smallburgh, Norfolk. It is prominently situated in the northern part of the churchyard. It comprises a stone obelisk with moulded foot on a slightly tapering four-sided plinth with deep foot that has a sloped cap, on a square base and concrete foundation. The plinth bears the inscriptions in leaded lettering.
The inscription is in leaded lettering and reads: THIS MEMORIAL/ IS ERECTED TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOUR OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ FOR GOD KING AND COUNTRY/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS// (NAMES)// (NAMES)// 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 Smallburgh as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Smallburgh, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was presumably erected, c.1920. The memorial commemorates nine local servicemen who fell in the First World War and two men who fell in the Second World War.
Reasons for Listing
Smallburgh War Memorial, which is situated in St Peter’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 well-executed Portland stone obelisk.
Group value:
* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Peter and the Grade II-listed Holly House.
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
Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
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Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)