Burnham Market War Memorial

First World War memorial granite cross, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: granite.

DESCRIPTION: this tall memorial is located on The Green, prominently situated and surrounded by numerous listed buildings on either side of the Marketplace. It comprises a rough-hewn wheel-head cross with Celtic knot work carved into the front face of the cross head. The cross rises from a tapering polished plinth, standing on a two-stepped rough-hewn base. The plinth bears the inscriptions in applied metal lettering.

INSCRIPTION: The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the plinth reads: IN/ MEMORY OF THE MEN OF/ BURNHAM WESTGATE,/ BURNHAM SUTTON/ AND/ BURNHAM NORTON/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. Commemorated First World War names are listed on either side of the plinth.

On the rear face of the plinth the later inscription reads 1939 - 1945/ “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”/ ST. JOHN CHAPTER 15 13 V/ (10 NAMES).

The cross is enclosed by a rail carried on eight low pyramidal granite posts.