Summary
First World War memorial, erected around 1920, with Second World War and later additions.
Description
First World War memorial, erected around 1920, with Second World War and later additions.
MATERIAL: stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent roadside position on the west side of The Street, at its junction with Hall Lane. It takes the form of a plain Celtic wheel-head cross atop a tall shaft which tapers in rectangular section from a trapezoidal plinth. The plinth stands on a three-stepped base of which the top step is stone while the lower two steps are of concrete. Surrounding the memorial is a gravelled area enclosed by concrete kerb stones.
The main inscription is in incised lettering on the plinth's south-east face and reads IN HONOURED MEMORY OF / THE MEN CONNECTED WITH / THIS PARISH WHO FELL IN THE / 1914 GREAT WAR 1918 / [NAMES).
An additional inscription on the north-east face reads 1939–1945 / [NAMES] while an inscription on the south-west face reads CYPRUS 1956 / [NAME].
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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised in the Suffolk village of Witnesham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 13 local servicemen who lost their lives in the First World War.
The names of three parishioners who fell during the Second World War and one man who lost his life during the Cyprus Emergency (1955-1959) were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Witnesham War Memorial, erected around 1920, with Second World War additions, 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 simple but well-executed Celtic wheel-head cross.
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
Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)