Last year when I went to Norfolk, we whizzed past a war memorial on the side of the A11.
Can you see the pillar kind of structure in the background? Here's another shot of the same structure.
I took 2 photographs back then but never got a chance to explore the memorial as we were running short of time last year, but this year, I finally managed to get a chance to stop for a few minutes and explore this massive monument.
The reason I found it very interesting is that it is huge, very tall, at least 100-120 feet in height, imposing base and it stands alone in the middle of nowhere. Nothing. You have farmland, then this giant imposing monument and then woods. Very abrupt change.
Anyway, parked and got out totally ignoring a chorus of disapproving cries about Baba and his bloody photo obsessions and his hobby for sniffing around mouldy old buildings.
This is standing at the point where 3 villages, Elveden, Eniswell & Icklingham meet. The Corinthian column is built of Weldon Stone with a vase of Portland Stone on top.
The proper name is ELVEDEN Column. Originally made to commemorate 48 men from the 3 parishes who gave their lives in the first great war.
The plaque says:
Here where the parishes of Elveden, Briswell and Icklingham meet, the inhabitants have erected this monument to the glorious memory of the men of these villages who gave their lives for FREEDOM and HONOUR in the GREAT WAR 1914-1919.
They then added the names of the soldiers who died in the second war as well, see the plaque at the bottom?
Each side seems to have the names of the parish and their soldiers.
the door at the back, yes, that is a door, can be used to climb up inside the tower. It was locked. Can you also see the lightening conductor running down?
Beautiful building, apparently designed by Clyde Young, took 2 years to build and was inaugurated on 21st November 1921.
the trees to the north are strangely leaning over themselves, perhaps the wind causes this?
very peaceful countryside, if I was to build a war memorial, to let the memories of that violent conflict arise? then this would be a good place
that's the A11, the highway from hell
our dinky little car
looking up north and below, looking down south, the clouds not looking good, we scampered off.
Here's a titbit for you, this village of Elveden is the first place in the history of battle tank warfare where they trained prior to going into live battle in WW1. And here's another titbit for you, Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of Lahore and Punjab lived and is buried here in this village. He is the chap who was the last desi owner of the Koh-i-noor.
Hi resolution full slide show here.
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