Summary
A First World War memorial, built 1919.
Description
A First World War memorial, built 1919.
MATERIALS
Sicilian marble.
DESCRIPTION
The memorial stands in a roadside location in front of the Church of St James. The memorial takes the form of an urn on a square pillar with a three-stepped base. The main inscription in incised lettering on the east face of the pillar reads: THIS MEMORIAL / WAS ERECTED IN / GRATEFUL MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF / KENNY HILL AND / BURNT FEN / WHO GAVE THEIR / LIVES FOR KING / AND COUNTRY / IN DEFENCE OF / LIBERTY AND / JUSTICE / IN THE / GREAT WAR / 1914-1918. The names of 17 parishioners who died during the First World War are inscribed on the north and south faces of the pillar.
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 750,000 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 Kenny Hill as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 17 parishioners of Kenny Hill and Burnt Fen who lost their lives in the First World War.
The memorial was made by Mr HG Neville of Mildenhall. It was unveiled on Thursday 14 August 1919 by Private J Greenacre. The total cost of the memorial and a brass memorial tablet erected in the church was £140.
Reasons for Listing
Kenny Hill and Burnt Fen War Memorial of 1919 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:
*for its design of an urn on a square marble pillar.
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
Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)