Dummer War Memorial

The wooden lychgate at the entrance to the church yard from the street was erected in 1919 as a memorial to the 13 men of the parish who lost their lives in the First World War. It was designed by Lady Emily Rycroft, second wife to Sir Richard Nelson who lived in the village from the time of his marriage in 1911 until his death in 1925.

The memorial was based on the style of a wooden porch at Boxford church in Suffolk. Although she was born in London to a military family, Lady Emily at one time lived at Edwardstone Hall (demolished in 1952), with her parents and siblings so would have known the nearby Boxford church well.[1] The timbers for the lychgate were donated by Robert Miller of Dummer Grange where an old barn was being demolished.[2] Wording on the cross beams reads:

To those fallen in the service of their country 1914-1918.

My flesh also shall rest in hope.

A plaque bearing the names of eight men who lost their lives in the Second World War was later added as a memorial.

The link below gives details of the men remembered on the WWI plaques displayed on the gate. No records have as yet been found for Frederick Hall.

There is also a roll of honour inside the church and a stone plaque remembering the dead of WW2.

[1] 1901 Census; www.lostheritage.org.uk/houses (accessed 3 May 2018).

[2] HRO, 65M72/PZ3 Dummer parish magazine Jun. 1968.