Aldeburgh War Memorial, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

Entry Name: Aldeburgh War Memorial

Listing Date: 29 January 2020

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1468086

ID on this website: 101468086

Location: Aldeburgh, East Suffolk, IP15

County: Suffolk

District: East Suffolk

Civil Parish: Aldeburgh

Built-Up Area: Aldeburgh

Traditional County: Suffolk

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Suffolk

Tagged with: War memorial

Summary

War memorial, unveiled in 1921. Designed by Mr W Crum-Watson and built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley.

Description

War memorial, unveiled in 1921. Designed by Mr W Crum-Watson and built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley.

MATERIALS: carved from Portland stone, with slate inscription panels.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands on a five-stepped hexagonal base and comprises an hexagonal pedestal surmounted by a tapering hexagonal column with a Latin cross bearing a relief-carving of the Sword of Sacrifice. To each face of the dado is a recessed inscription panel. Three are inscribed 1914–18 / ARMY / (NAMES), one is inscribed 1914–18/ ROYAL NAVY / (NAMES), and one 1939–45 / ROYAL NAVY / (NAMES) / ARMY / (NAMES) / MERCHANT NAVY / (NAME). The main inscription is to the east face of the dado and includes The Royal and Borough Arms to the top corners. The inscription reads:

THEY / WHOM THIS / MONUMENT COMMEMORATES / WERE HONOURED AMONG THOSE / WHO AT THE CALL OF / KING AND COUNTRY / LEFT ALL THAT WAS / DEAR TO THEM / ENDURED HARDSHIP / FACED DANGER AND FINALLY / PASSED OUT OF SIGHT / OF MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY / AND SELF SACRIFICE / GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES / THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN / FREEDOM / Let them who come after see to it / that their names be not forgotten.

Beneath, carved in relief to the plinth of the pedestal, is the additional inscription:

ERECTED BY THEIR / FELLOW TOWNSFOLK.

A stone plaque has been added to the top step of the base beneath and is inscribed ‘CIVILIANS KILLED BY ENEMY ACTION’ and lists the names of 7 civilians below.

History

The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War 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.

Aldeburgh War Memorial commemorates the 84 parishioners who died during the First World War. Designed by Mr W Crum-Watson and built by Messrs Farmer and Brindley, it was unveiled on 2 January 1921 by Chief Officer D Day and Alderman Percy E Clark, the Town Mayor. The memorial was dedicated by the Reverend Canon S W Goldsmith.

The names of 20 servicemen and seven civilians from the parish, who died during the Second World War, were subsequently added to the memorial.

Erected on the sea front at Aldeburgh, the hexagonal memorial garden, bounded by railway sleepers, appears to be a mid-C20 addition. To the east side of the garden is a stone plaque inscribed IN MEMORY OF THOSE LIVES LOST IN ALDEBURGH AS A RESULT OF WAR OPERATIONS 1939 – 1945, and lists the names of 19 servicemen and 7 civilians.

Reasons for Listing

Aldeburgh War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a good example of a Latin-cross type of war memorial that is accomplished in its design and execution.

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.

Group value:

* with a number of listed buildings including Moot Hall (Grade I), Moot House (Grade II), Mill Inn (Grade II) and Swiss Cottage (Grade II).

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.