Showcase result

Laxfield

The war memorial in the north Suffolk village of Laxfield is a tall square stone edifice, carved and inscribed. The base is of rough stone blocks, and above this are pilasters at each corner supporting pediments each of which contains a relief sculpture of a laurel wreath. The memorial is surmounted by a sculpture of a flame issuing from an urn. There are black painted inscriptions on all four sides of the memorial, which stands on a grassy area at the junction of the High Street, behind a metal fence.

In 2002/3 English Heritage offered a grant of £2,224 towards work to clean the memorial using water and natural fibre brushes, to investigate how the flame was attached to the memorial and to see how it could be made more stable as it was loose on the masonry bed, to rake out and re-point defective joints on the pediments, to make good the defective joints on the pilasters, to re-touch the painted inscriptions on the panels, to make good the joint voids on the base of the memorial and to remove the cement render on the base, to carry out mortar repairs and re-render it with lime render or limewash.

The memorial has inscriptions on all four sides:

"In ever living loving memory
of
the men
of this parish
who
gave their lives
in the Great War
1914 -1 918
For liberty and justice
their lives for their country
and their souls to God"

"This monument
was erected
by
parishoners of Laxfield
and friends"

On the other two sides are lists of the fallen of the two World Wars. Those of World War I are listed with their full name and regiment under the years in which they died. The panel commemorating those who died in World War II has a recessed background, with reliefs of the flaming torches carved either side of a slightly raised panel upon which are the names and regiments of the fallen. Above them a sprig of laurel is carved in relief. The names are recorded beneath a dedication which reads:

"In everlasting remembrance
of
the fallen in World War
1939 – 1945"

The memorial was built by Messrs Collins, Wright and Curtis and the sculptors were Messrs Cubitt and Cotts. It was unveiled on 11th October 1919 by Lord Huntingfield, owner of the nearby Heveningham Hall.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM1279
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 4782

Heritage Gateway listing record: 487557

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

Return to search results | Start a new search