The Martyrs and The South African Memorials
THE MARTYRS MEMORIAL
A public subscription enabled this prominent Purbeck Limestone obelisk to be erected in 1903 by Hanchets, a local firm of stonemasons. The names of seventeen Protestant martyrs are inscribed on the panels, strangely none from Bury St Edmunds but places such as Coddenham, Hadleigh and Stoke by Nayland. These ordinary people, labourers, weavers etc died for their faith during the short reign of Queen Mary, 1553-58. Her sobriquet ‘Bloody Mary’ earnt because she tried to bring back the Catholic faith through burning so-called heretics. Note, no gravestones behind now.
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SOUTH AFRICAN WAR MEMORIAL
Often referred to as the Boer War this splendid memorial to it by Arthur George Walker R A, was unveiled by Lord Methuen upon the auspicious date of 11th November 1904. Assisting in the ceremony were Archdeacon Hodges and the Marquess of Bristol. A volley of rifle-fire to the 193 men from the Suffolk Regiment listed on the memorial echoed around Cornhill. A re-dedication took place in May 2002 when the names were re-cut to the men who made the supreme sacrifice thousands of miles away. Unfortunately over the years the bronze figure has ‘bled’ causing an unsightly green stain.
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With thanks as always to Martyn Taylor from his new book Bury St Edmunds Through Time Revisted
