Village sign

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Not to be confused with village sign language.

Biddenden village sign in Kent of the two maids of Biddenden
Old Hunstanton village sign in Norfolk

In many parts of England, an ornamental village sign is erected to announce the village name to those entering the village. They are typically placed on the principal road entrance or in a prominent location such as a village green. The design often depicts a particularly characteristic feature of the village or a scene from its history, heritage, or culture. They are typically made of wood or metal or a combination of both, the designs are often made by the local community.

Ornamental timber and iron signs were common historically to identify buildings of importance such as inns or town halls. However, the tradition of village signs is believed to have started in

Sandringham Estate
.

The spread of interest beyond Norfolk can be attributed to

Australia House, London in October 1920.[2]

The village sign at Biddenden, Kent, featuring the two Biddenden Maids, was one of the successful Daily Mail competition entries. So too was the sign at Bromley, Kent.

Many signs commemorate significant events such as the

Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the passing of Millennium
or local celebrations such as the centenary of the formation of local councils.

In some places village signs have been surveyed and recorded. In Kent, signs erected in more than half of the county villages have been identified.[3]

In 1929, Harry Carter, an art and woodwork master at Hamond's Grammar School in Swaffham, carved a sign for his home town. By the time of his death in 1983 he had carved over 200 town and village signs.

While the practice is now widespread, decorative village signs are still common in Norfolk and in the neighbouring county of Suffolk as well as Essex and other East Anglian counties. Some village signs take the form of sculptures, such as the sign at Capel St Andrew in Suffolk, which is constructed from scrap metal.

Gallery

References

  1. ^ The Builder magazine, 7 May 1920, p 542
  2. ^ The Builder, 22 October 1920, p 455
  3. ISBN 978-0-9542950-4-2
  4. ^ "Geograph:: Sandling village sign © Penny Mayes cc-by-sa/2.0".
  5. ^
    ISBN 0-319-21888-0
    .

External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Village sign.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Village signs in England.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Signs of municipalities.
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