Summary
First World War memorial, 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: polished granite.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in the churchyard, close to the Church of St Lawrence (Grade II*).
The memorial comprises a polished granite obelisk on a square plinth with a two-stepped square base. It stands approximately 2.4m high.
The main inscription in incised and black-painted lettering on the west face of the plinth reads: IN MEMORY OF/ THE BRAVE MEN/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY/ DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.
The names of the fallen are incised on the south and north faces of the plinth.
A further inscription on the upper step of the base reads: WORLD WAR/ 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 Knodishall 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 E Saunders (builder) of Ipswich, who erected many other war memorials in nearby parishes. The memorial was unveiled on 26 October 1919.
The names of those parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Knodishall War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Lawrence, 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 an elegant and well-executed granite obelisk.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Lawrence (Grade II*).
External Links
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Recommended Books
For the Record
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets