NHER 66703 (Structure record) - World War One memorial, Swardeston

World War One memorial
Location: Entrance to the Church of St Mary, Main Road, Swardeston
Type: Wheel-head Cross (Celtic)
Description: The memorial is in the form of a Celtic wheel-head cross. The cross is decorated with an inscribed relief of a sword with the blade pointing down. The shaft tapers down to a “roughly” (S3) trapezoidal plinth which sits on a single-step base. The inscription is carved on the east face of the plinth. The memorial is notable for not only commemorating the servicemen of Swardeston, but also a famous civilian casualty of the First World War, Edith Cavell. Cavell was a nurse who tended to soldiers on both sides of the war and helped over 200 Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Belgium.
Proposed: Unknown
Designed By: Unknown
Constructed/Sculpted By: Unknown
Cost: Unknown
Unveiled: Assumed planned and erected around 1920, when the majority of Norfolk’s war memorials were commissioned. Additional research required.
Inscription: PRO PATRIA / [Names] / 1914 - 1919
Information from Listing Description (S1) and Historic England Advice Report (S2).
See War Memorials On-line (S4) for images and the War Memorials Register (S5) for images, names and additional details.
A. Henderson (HES), 1 September 2024.

January 2017. Listed. Grade II.
Details as summarized above.
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
See Historic England Advice Report (S2) and Consultation Report (S3) for further details.
See also War Memorials On-line (S4) and War Memorials Register (S5).
A. Henderson (HES), 1 September 2024.