Beccles War Memorial

Heritage listing

Details First World War memorial, unveiled and dedicated in 1921, with Second World War and later additions. It was designed by Gerald Cogswell of London and executed by HA King of Beccles. MATERIALS: of Portland stone. DETAILS: the memorial stands in a prominent roadside position at the junction between St Mary's Road and Priory Road, around 108m to the north-west of Beccles and District War Memorial Hospital (opened 1924). The memorial, which stands some 7m high, comprises a small, decorated Latin cross set atop a tall, tapering, octagonal shaft. The north-west (front) face of the shaft bears a carved wreath containing an IHS Christogram. The shaft stands on a tall, square plinth, the faces of which are inscribed with the names of the fallen, which in turn sits on a square, two-stepped base. The whole stands on a larger octagonal base which was designed to be used as a bench seat. It has a chamfered top with stone quoins and knapped flint and dressed stone infill to the riser. The top of the plinth is inscribed with the dedicatory inscription: "IN HONOUR OF THE MEN OF (north-west) // BECCLES - WHO GAVE THEIR (south-west) // LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY (south-east) // IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 (north-east)". Each of the four faces beneath the inscription lists the names of the First World War fallen, divided by service and regiment and listed by rank. Later inscriptions have been added to the faces of the octagonal base. On the north-west face is the Second Word War dedication which reads "ALSO HONOURING THOSE WHO DIED / IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR / 1939 - 1945 / AND THEREAFTER', with the north and west faces bearing the names of the fallen. The names of single individuals who died in the Korean and Afghanistan Wars are inscribed on the west and south-west faces respective

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.