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Foulden

Foulden war memorial comprises a Latin Cross atop an octagonal pillar which stands on a square stone plinth with a dedication incised into the stone. This surmounts a larger square plinth, which is set into an octagonal base. The memorial is of shelly limestone construction. The inscriptions carry the names of 9 men who died in World War I with two names added after World War II. The names are arranged in order of year of death, giving first and surname, followed by rank, unit, place of death and the year. Foulden war memorial stands within the churchyard of All Saints Church in the village of Foulden in Norfolk.

In 2019, conservation and repair works were carried out with a grant of £4,430 from War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme. The memorial was cleaned using a DOFF steam cleaning system, and failing construction joints were carefully raked-out and re-pointed using a lime mortar. In addition, repairs were carried out to the damaged stonework and damaging historic cement repairs were removed. The larger areas of damaged stone to the base were carefully cut-out and indented with matching limestone to reinstate the original profile of the memorial. This method ensures a minimal loss of original fabric and demonstrates an ‘honest’ intervention which can be clearly observed. The stone indents were secured using stainless-steel pins. Other smaller areas of damaged stone were repaired using a lime mortar consolidant. Incised lettering to the base of the memorial carried an inscription which had been almost entirely lost. Where required, the lettering was sharpened and deepened (or cut into appropriate sections of new stone) to reinstate the original wording in the original style and font (But the Men Were Very Good unto Us and we Were Not Hurt They Were a Wall unto Us Both by Night and by Day) which had become so eroded and ineligible. The original grant enquiry included a proposal to re-incise the word ‘Foulden’ to the inscription which had been mechanically removed during World War II at a time when Britain feared a German invasion. War Memorials Trust excluded this work from the project because the conservation charity felt this now represented a significant part of the memorial’s history and so leaving this intervention represented best conservation practice. During works onsite with access scaffolding erected for cleaning, it was discovered that additional repairs to the cross were required to stabilise it. War Memorials Trust authorised the proposed works to consolidate the cross and to secure it with micro pins, using a lime consolidant to reform the damaged profile of the cross and fill water-traps, finally a limewash shelter coat was then applied on completion of repairs.

The inscription reads:
To the Glorious Memory of Men from (Word Foulden removed) who laid down their lives for their country in the Great War 1914 - 1919 This Cross is Humbly Dedicated ; But The Men Were Very Good Unto Us and we Were Not Hurt They Were a Wall Unto Us Both by Night and by Day

The memorial was erected in 1919, paid for by public subscription.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM1416
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 55989

War Memorials Online: WMO/182774

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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