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: Cornish granite.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent location at the centre of the village, at the junction of Hockey Hill and Station Road.
The memorial comprises a substantial square granite pillar with a two-tiered pedestal on a two-stepped base. At the apex of the pillar is an elaborately carved cap stone with a relief-carved laurel wreath on its east face. The memorial stands approximately 3m high.
The main inscription on the east face reads: SACRED TO THE MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914–1918/ (21 NAMES)/ “THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US BOTH/ BY NIGHT AND DAY” (1 SAMUEL 25.16)/ 1939–1946/ (6 NAMES)/ THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED/ IN APPRECIATION BY PARISHIONERS/ WHO MOURN THEIR LOSS.
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 Wetheringsett cum Brockford 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 was erected by Messrs Frewer and Moss. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 24 July 1921 by Colonel Chevallier of Aspall and dedicated by the rector, Reverend F R Smith.
The names of those parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Wetheringsett War Memorial, which stands at the junction of Hockey Hill and Station Road, 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 well-executed Cornish granite pillar with carved decorative details.
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
Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
England's Post-War Listed Buildings
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014