West Winch War Memorial

Summary

First and Second World War memorial. Erected March 1921 with the names of the Fallen of the Second World War added after 1945 and the names of the Fallen from Setchey added in 2008.

Reasons for Designation

West Winch war memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary, West Winch, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a simple, but well executed decorated Latin cross in limestone.

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Group value:

* with the Grade II* listed Church of St Mary, West Winch.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw an unprecedented wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country, 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 raised at West Winch, as permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial at West Winch, like many Norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. The memorial was erected in March 1921 and unveiled on 28 March 1921 by Rev. Canon A H Hayes, rector of South Lynn. The memorial commemorates seven local servicemen who fell in the First World War and two men who fell in the Second World War. A plaque commemorating an additional three men, from Setchey, is also now (since 2008) present.

The Parish Council refurbished the monument in 2000.

Details

First and Second World War memorial. Erected March 1921 with the names of the Fallen of the Second World War added after 1945 and the names of the Fallen from Setchey added in 2008.

MATERIALS: Carved from Hopton Wood limestone.

DESCRIPTION: West Winch war memorial is located in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church, Main Road, West Winch, Norfolk. It is prominently situated by the west end of the church, to the right and in front of the tower doorway. It comprises a granite Latin cross with carved wreath and ribbons at the head encircling the relief-carved and painted dates ‘1914 – 1918’, on a tapering, rough-axed shaft, small moulded rough-axed plinth with slightly projecting front section, and two-stepped base that also projects forward at the front. The shaft and plinth bear the inscriptions on inserted, incised granite plaques. The epitaph is directly incised into the upper step of the base.

The inscription reads: 1914 / 1918 / TO THE / GLORY OF GOD / AND TO THE / UNDYING HONOUR / OF THE MEN / WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES IN / THE GREAT WAR / (NAMES )/ 1939 – 45 / (NAMES )/ FROM SETCHEY / 1914 – 1918 / (NAMES) // "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE" / ECCLUS.XLIV.14 //

Sources

Websites
Langley, SL (1999) West Winch 1914-1918 War Memorial Booklet , accessed 24 August 2018 from http://westwinchparishcouncil.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/files/2017/11/West-Winch-War-Memorial-booklet.pdf
Information on war memorials from the Imperial War Museum database, accessed 24 August 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/22845
Information on war memorials from the War Memorials Online database, accessed 24 August 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/194986/

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