Summary
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: granite, limestone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent position at the centre of the burial ground, adjacent to the Church of St Andrew (Grade I).
The memorial comprises a plain wheel-head cross on a tapering rough-hewn plinth with a three-stepped square base. The cross, plinth and upper step of the base are carved from dark grey granite, and the lower steps are of limestone. It stands approximately 4.6m high.
The main inscription on the north face of the plinth reads: IN MEMORIAM/ MEN OF MUTFORD WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918/ (11 NAMES)/ AND THESE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR NATIVE LAND/ SHALL LIVE IN MEMORY FOR EVERMORE.
A further inscription on the north face of the upper step of the base reads:
TO THE MEN WHO FELL IN THE/ WORLD WAR, 1939 – 1945/ (3 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 Mutford as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was erected by Mr E Brown (builder) and unveiled on Sunday 20 March 1921.
The names of those parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Mutford War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Andrew, 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 yet well-executed granite wheel-head cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Andrew (Grade I).
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
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
Period Property Manual (New Ed)
Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)