Summary
First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands at the northern extent of the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (Grade I), adjacent to the main road through the village. The memorial comprises a stone equal-armed wheel-head cross set atop a tall, tapering shaft. The cross stands on a two-stepped base on a square concrete pad set into the churchyard.
The main inscription is on the north face of the upper step and reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE WAR/ 1914 – 1919/. The ranks, names and regiments of the First World War fallen are listed on the north and south faces of the taller lower step.
On the west face of the upper step is the additional inscription: 1939 – 1945./ IN MEMORIAM, with the ranks, names and regiments of the Second World War fallen given on the west face of the lower step. These names include that of a Police Constable from the East Suffolk Police.
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 in the churchyard at Worlingworth as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 20 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on 26 September 1920 by Colonel Lord Henniker.
The names of the six parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Worlingworth War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, 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 elegant and well-executed wheel-head cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Mary (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
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback