Summary
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: Clipsham stone
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in the northern extension of the churchyard of the Church of St Andrew (Grade I), and is overlooked by the De La Pole Arms (Grade II) and The Old Forge (Grade II).
The memorial is of Clipsham stone and comprises a small Latin cross with octagonal-section shaft and arms, each ending in an ornately carved octagonal cap. The cross stands within the crenelated capital of a tall, slender octagonal column set atop a tall plinth. The top of the plinth is octagonal to complement the cross shaft, but its body is cuboid, with recessed panels into which the inscriptions are carved. The whole stands on a large square stone base with an elaborate cap.
The main inscription is on the front (west) face of the plinth and reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF WINGFIELD/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/. The names of the 12 First World War fallen are listed on the north and south faces of the plinth in two lists of six names. On the rear face of the plinth is the additional inscription: 1939 – 1945/ (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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised in the churchyard at Wingfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 12 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on 20 November 1921 by Major H Palgrave Raven.
The name of the single parishioner who fell during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Wingfield War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Andrew, 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 sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a fine example of an ornate churchyard memorial cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Andrew (Grade I), the De La Pole Arms (Grade II) and The Old Forge (Grade II).
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
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)