Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1921, with later addition for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1921, with later addition for the Second World War.
MATERIALS
It is constructed of flint with ashlar dressings.
DESCRIPTION
The war memorial is prominently situated alongside the main road through the village of West Runton, abutting the boundary wall to the churchyard. Three steps lead up to the memorial which takes the form of an angled or canted wall constructed of cut and squared flints laid in regular courses with ashlar dressings. It has a moulded cornice and a frieze which is inscribed in painted lettering:
THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US BOTH BY NIGHT AND DAY
There are three panels fixed to the front of the memorial which carry the inscriptions. The outer panels bear the names of the fallen from the First World War, while the central one reads:
TO THE MEN OF/ RUNTON/ WHO FELL / (NAMES)/ 1939-1945.
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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 West Runton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 35 men from the villages of West and East Runton who lost their lives during the conflict. A number of meetings were held between 1919 and 1921 to discuss the commissioning and erection of a war memorial. It was produced by Sheringham stonemason H Palmer, and was unveiled on Sunday 20 November 1921; one of the wreaths was laid by two discharged, wounded servicemen whose descendants still (2019) reside in the parish.
Following the Second World War the central plaque was replaced with one which commemorated the 16 local servicemen who died during this conflict. It was unveiled on 17 June 1951. By the late C20 the panels had begun to decay and in the 1980s they were replaced with copies to the original designs.
Reasons for Listing
Runton War Memorial at West Runton is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* for its poignant and well-executed design.
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
Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)