Summary
First World War memorial cross, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
The grey granite war memorial is located on the north side of Church Street, to the west of the village hall (unlisted). It is prominently situated on the top of a bank within an enclosure, railed to the front and with a flint and brick wall to the rear. The enclosure is approached from the street by a rake of steps on the eastern side.
The memorial comprises a dressed (but not polished) wheel-head cross standing on a tapering plinth, with a single-stepped base on a concrete foundation. The plinth bears the inscriptions in applied metal lettering.
The principal dedicatory inscription reads IN HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE STIFFKEY MEN/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ (10 NAMES)/ LEST WE FORGET. The later Second World War inscription to the front face of the base reads 1939 – 1945/ (4 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 Stiffkey as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by ten members of the local community who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of four men who died in that conflict were added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Stiffkey War Memorial Cross, which stands on Church Street, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* a simple yet poignant wheel-head cross in granite.
Group value:
* with numerous Grade II-listed buildings on the south side of Church Street.
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
Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
For the Record
Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)