Manual Ref* NFbreGRI002 Show 2 images 1056
Title*

USAAF Memorial Wayland Prison
County Norfolk   District Council Breckland District Council 
Civil Parish or equivalent Griston  Town/Village* Griston 
Road Entrance to Wayland Prison 
Precise Location In gated garden before prison buildings 
OS Grid Ref TL938987  Postcode IP25 
Previous location(s)  
Setting In gated garden  Access Public 
Artist/Maker Role Qualifier
Brett's of Watton  Stonemason(s)   

Commissioned by

 8th USAAF Air Force 

Design & Constrn period

 1984 

Date of installing

  

Exact date of unveiling

  

Category
Abstract Animal Architectural
Commercial Commemorative Composite
Free Functional Funerary
Heraldic Military Natural
Non-Commemorative Performance Portable
Religious Roadside, Wayside Sculptural
Temporary, Mobile Other  

Object Type
Building Clock Tower Architectural
Coat of Arms Cross Fountain
Landscape Marker Medallion
Mural Panel Readymade
Relief Shaft Sculpture
Statue Street Furniture War Memorial
Other Object Sub Type: USAAF memorial

Subject Type
Allegorical Mythological Pictorial
Figurative Non-figurative Portrait
Still-life Symbolic Other

Subject Sub Type
Bust Equestrian Full-length
Group Head Reclining
Seated Standing Torso
Part Material Dimension
Memorial  Granite  2 m high and 1.4 wide at base 
Base  Pebbles in brick surround  2 x 5 m. and 35 cm. H. 

Work is
Extant Not Sited Lost

Owner/Custodian

 HMP Wayland, Please make sure that if you visit it that you get the relevant permission from the visitor reception area as, naturally they get a bit nervous if you just turn up with a camera! 

Listing status
Grade I Grade II* Grade II Don't Know Not Listed

Surface Condition
Corrosion, Deterioration Accretions
Bird Guano Abrasions, cracks, splits
Biological growth Spalling, crumbling
Metallic staining Previous treatments
Other  
Detail:

Structural Condition
Armature exposed Broken or missing parts
Replaced parts Loose elements
Cracks, splits, breaks, holes Spalling, crumbling
Water collection Other
Detail:

Vandalism
Graffiti Structural damage Surface Damage
Detail:

Overall condition
Good Fair Poor

Risk
No Known Risk At Risk Immediate
Signatures/Marks  
Inscriptions 8th USAAF STATION 505 – 1943 GRISTON 1945 – AT THIS SITE 4800 USAAF AIRMEN OF THE THIRD STRATEFIC AIR DEPOT MAINTAINED THE B24 LIBERATOR BOMBERS OF THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE WORLD WAR II 

Description (physical)

 The impressive rough granite menhir is set within a gated garden, with seats and information plaques, now incongruously set besides exit from staff car park and before the main prison block.  

Description (iconographical)

 RAF Watton had opened in 1939, with more substantial than usual buildings by the Ministry of War Architect’s Department, when it was made over to the Blenheims of No. 2 Bomber Group. The USAAF operated there in 1944 and 1945, with B- 17 Flying Fortresses and Liberators. Griston is at the southern edge of the airfield. There are two further memorials to USAAF, one in Watton, and the other in the churchyard of St Peter and Paul, Griston. The memorial must have been put in place as the prison, which first opened in 1985, was still under construction  

Photographs

 Date taken:  13/7/2010
Date logged: 

Photographed by:
Sarah Cocke

On Site Inspection

 Date:  13/7/2010

Inspected by:
Richard Cocke

Sources and References

 Information from Ken Godfrey, historian of the 8th USAAF Air Force 

Database

 Date entered:  23/7/2010

Data inputter:
Richard Cocke