Summary
A First World War memorial erected in 1920 with names added after the Second World War.
Description
MATERIALS: limestone with polished black granite.
DESCRIPTION: Woodbridge War Memorial is located in the Memorial Garden on Market Hill in Woodbridge.
It takes the form of a limestone Latin cross on a polished black granite octagonal column, resting on a plinth with a three-stepped base.
The inscription reads (Names) IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/OF THE/133 WOODBRIDGE MEN/WHO MADE/THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/IN THE GREAT WAR/1914 – 1918/ (Names) (Names)/ 1939 – 1945/ (Names).
History
The aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, 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 Woodbridge as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by eight members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The memorial in Woodbridge was unveiled on either the 7 or 11 November 1920 (sources differ) by the Right Honourable the Earl of Stradbroke in a memorial garden on land owned by the Church of St Mary. The builder was Mr A C Stephenson.
More names were added after the Second World War.
In 2014-2015 Woodbridge Town Council and East Suffolk Council were involved in a project to restore and enhance the setting of the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Woodbridge 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest
* as an elegant and finely detailed example of a Latin cross.
Group value
* for its group value with numerous listed buildings in the vicinity, including the Grade I listed church of St Mary (National Heritage List for England (NHLE) entry 1377024), the Grade I listed Shire Hall and Corn Exchange (NHLE entry 1377037), the Grade II* listed 34 Church Street (NHLE entry 1031094) and the Grade II* listed Old Court House (NHLE entry1031037).
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
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (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]
Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair