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Latitude: 52.2975 / 52°17'51"N
Longitude: 0.8312 / 0°49'52"E
OS Eastings: 593152
OS Northings: 270372
OS Grid: TL931703
Mapcode National: GBR RFQ.T4R
Mapcode Global: VHKD0.CJ82
Plus Code: 9F427RXJ+2F
Entry Name: Ixworth War Memorial
Listing Date: 16 January 2020
Grade: II
Source: Historic England
Source ID: 1467918
ID on this website: 101467918
Location: St Mary's Church, Ixworth, West Suffolk, IP31
County: Suffolk
District: West Suffolk
Civil Parish: Ixworth
Built-Up Area: Ixworth
Traditional County: Suffolk
Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Suffolk
Tagged with: War memorial
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1919, with inscriptions added after the Second World War.
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1919, with inscriptions added after the Second World War.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial, which is approximately 3.3m tall, stands in a prominent position to the south-east of the Church of St Mary (Grade I). It is carved from granite and has a wheel-head cross rising from a tapering shaft that stands on a chamfered plinth of two sections and a two-stepped square base.
The main inscription in black painted lettering on the front face of the plinth reads: TO THE/ GREATER GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ "THE MEN WERE VERY GOOD UNTO US, AND/ WE WERE NOT HURT... THEY WERE A WALL/ UNTO US BOTH BY NIGHT AND DAY"/ SAMUEL XXV, 15 AND 16/ AND/ 1939-1945.
The names of the fallen are recorded on the south-west and north-east faces, and those who died in the Second World War are on the front lower section the plinth.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: it is enclosed with chain-link and slender metal posts with ball finials.
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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Ixworth, within the churchyard, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 31 men from the parish who lost their lives in the First World War. It was made by monumental masons Hanchets (established 1776) of Bury St Edmunds, who were responsible for at least 20 other First World War memorials in the Suffolk area, and was erected by Mr E E Saunders of Ipswich. It was unveiled by Colonel Parry Crooke at a ceremony held on 20 December 1919.
Following the Second World War the 14 names of the fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial. A rededication service took place on 20 December 1948.
Ixworth War Memorial, unveiled in December 1919, 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:
* as a well-executed wheel-head cross memorial.
Group value:
* with the Grade I listed Church of St Mary.
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.
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