'Essex' Category
Sible Hedingham, Essex
The mounted figure at the top of the sign reproduces a fresco in Florence Cathedral of Sir John Hawkwood, a 14th-century soldier who was born in the village. The base motif refers to the Swan Inn, scene of one of the last fatal witch swimmings.
Sible Hedingham Parish Council
Sir John Hawkswood – WikipediaSible [...]
Ridgewell, Essex
A wooden sign, showing the church, and what I assume is a tributary of the Colne River, which rises in the village. The source of the Colne itself is just a couple of miles east of the village, near Stambourne.
Today Ridgewell suffers with the usual malaise of village life but still has two public [...]Margaretting, Essex
This sign was erected to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. It sits by the side of the road, in front of a small village pond, and shows St Margaret and the church dedicated to her name.
The church, dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch in Pisidia, a popular Saint of the Middle Ages, was [...]Manuden, Essex
Magghedana was an established village in Saxon times. The church is dated 1143 but was largely rebuilt between 1863 and 1876. Leatherwork was made here from 1430 to the 1900s and is depicted on the village sign.
There is a large puddingstone at the junction opposite the church. This type of stone was often used as [...]Little Hallingbury, Essex
Little Hallingbury lies to the south of Bishops Stortford. Te area has been in use for over 2000 years, as evidenced by the nearby Iron Age fort at Wallbury, and pottery found in the area (now kept in Saffron Walden Museum). There used to be a silk mill nearby on the Stort, but this is [...]
Hatfield Heath, Essex
This village is a classic picture book village, surrounding the village green. The standard motif of cricket on the green is shown, and could be used for any number of villages – very disappointing and uninspiring.
Hatfield Heath Web Site
Hatfield Heath OS Grid Ref: TL 525 150Hadstock, Essex
Hadstock, although small, dates back over a thousand years. The wooden door of St Botolph’s church is thought to date back to Saxon times, and like many church doors would have been covered in leather. In 1791 a small piece of what looked like leather was found under the iron fittings of the door. It [...]
Gosfield, Essex
This sign shows a traditional village blacksmith at work. The sign was raised by the local Women’s Institute, and is sited opposite the village Post Office.
Despite lying close to the course of a Roman Road running north from Braintree, Gosfield is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, and so was not a separate settlement at [...]Fyfield, Essex
Fyfield village straddles the B194 which runs roughly parallel to the River Roding, shown on the sign. The village church is on the opposite side of the river from the current main dwellings.
There is an interesting anecdote about the creation of the sign on the village website
Fyfield Village Website
Fyfield – British History Online
Fyfield Village OS [...]Felsted, Essex
Situated in the centre of the village, this wooden painted sign depicts the church and timber framed buildings to be found in the village, along with other symbols of rural life.
Felsted Community Web Site
A history of Felsted School,1564-1947
The History of Felsted Preparatory School: The First 100 Years, 1895-1995
Felsted, OS Grid Ref: TL 677 204