Summary

First World War memorial unveiled on 11 September 1921 with one further name added after the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: Weldon stone and Clipstone.

DESCRIPTION: Souldrop War Memorial is located on the east side of the churchyard of All Saints Church. It consists of a Latin cross with a carved collar set upon a tapering octagonal shaft. The shaft rises from a chamfered plinth with an octagonal top and square base. The whole is set upon a single square stepped base.

The plinth carries the dedication to the fallen of the First World War in raised lettering and reads: IN MEMORY OF BRAVE MEN/ WHO FROM THIS VILLAGE FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 18. Two of the other faces are incised with the names of the fallen. The final side has 1939 – 45 inscribed in raised lettering with one name beneath it.

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 unveiled at Souldrop by Sir Albert Edward Bowen on 11 September 1921 as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War.  It commemorates nine local servicemen who died during the First World War. 

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the one fallen of that conflict.

Reasons for Listing

Souldrop 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant and striking Latin cross with fine lettering;
* Group value: with the Church of All Saints (Grade II*) and Orchard Cottage, a listed building opposite (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478248

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)