Summary
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, later C20 repairs.
Description
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, later C20 repairs.
DESCRIPTION
The memorial is situated on the east side of the main road (A1101) which links the two villages of Flempton and Hengrave, close to the parish boundary. It comprises a plain black metal Latin cross set upon a Clipsham stone plinth with a moulded top and base which stands on a square base. The front (south-west) face of the plinth carries the main dedicatory inscription in blackened lettering which reads:
IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914–1919/ THESE NOBLY PLAYED THEIR PART/ THESE HEARD THE CALL/ FOR GOD AND KING AND HOME/ THEY GAVE THEIR ALL.
The rear face is inscribed:
THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO FELL IN THIS PARISH/ OF FLEMPTON-CUM-HENGRAVE ARE RECORDED/ ON A TABLET IN THE PARISH CHURCH./ ERECTED BY SIR JOHN AND LADY WOOD 1920.
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 on the side of the road between the villages of Flempton and Hengrave as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of these communities who lost their lives during the First World War. The memorial was sponsored by local landowners, Sir John and Lady Wood, and was unveiled on 24 October 1920 by the Right Honourable Earl of Stradbroke who, the same day, also unveiled a tablet inscribed with the names of the fallen in St Catharine’s Church in Flempton. The memorial was designed by Sir Walter Tapper (1861-1935), who later served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects and was knighted in 1935. It was made by stonemasons Hanchets and originally took the form of a plinth upon which was a slender stone shaft, some 5.5m high, surmounted by a cross-head of Purbeck marble. The shaft and cross-head were later replaced by a metal Latin cross, possibly the result of a vehicle causing damage to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Flempton-cum-Hengrave War Memorial 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* a simple, yet fitting, commemorative structure in the form of a Latin 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
Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair