Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1922.

Description

The Portland stone memorial, c2.75m tall, stands in a prominent location in the churchyard beside the path to the Church of St Mary (Grade I), close to Vicarage Cottages (Grade II). It comprises a plain equal-armed cross rising from a simply moulded collar on a gently tapering cross shaft. The shaft stands on a tapering plinth, square on plan, with a two-stepped base.

The main inscription on the front face of the plinth reads IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF/ CHEDISTON/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 1918/ (9 NAMES).

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Chediston as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by nine members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Built by Mr Fred Barber, who also constructed several other war memorials in nearby parishes, the memorial was unveiled on 1 January 1922 by Major Rodwell.

Reasons for Listing

Chediston War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard, 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* a simple yet poignant war memorial cross;
* unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Mary (Grade I) and Vicarage Cottages (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479225

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

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)