Village Signs

A small selection of East Anglian Village signs

A lovely feature of the towns and villages of East Anglia are their village signs. By far the most are situated in Norfolk which has some 500, with Suffolk not far behind. The rest of the growing 4,000 are distributed countrywide.

It was King Edward VII who first remarked, early in the 20th century, that village signs would add to travellers’ interest as they made their way around villages of the sprawling Sandringham Estate, the North Norfolk country retreat of the royals. He subsequently commissioned four from the Princess Alexandra School of Carving, and another three were added later.

This charming idea was promoted more widely by Prince Albert, Duke of York (later George VI) in a 1920 speech to the Royal Academy. This in turn led to a popular newspaper, The Daily Mail, setting up a prize-winning competition for village sign designs.

Back in Norfolk, art teacher Harry Carter of Hamond's Grammar School was approached to carve a sign for his home town of Swaffham, little realising that with that first effort, he started a ball rolling that would not stop until he was an old man who had made in excess of 200 of them!

​Many of those first oak signs have a charming naivety about them, inspired and funded as they were by small and enthusiastic village committees. Today as well as individual makers, there are businesses dedicated to their production, utilising different materials besides wood, their signs bringing to life in stunning visual form stories that make each village unique.

The Women’s Institute movement, so much a part of rural English communities, was highly significant in promoting village signs which were often incorporated at times of national festivities. There was a surge to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and subsequently her Silver, Gold and Diamond jubilees. Other more local events are also marked.

It has become a popular leisure occupation for photographers both amateur and professional to ‘collect’ village signs and the internet has many fine examples to peruse. Granny can proudly go one further than that, because in the 1980’s she actually carved two village signs. One for Burgh St. Margaret and the other for Hellesdon, as well as restoring others.

Swanton Abbot Village Sign repainted by Granny, image credit Evelyn Simak

Long may the tradition endure, I say, as they have certainly done what Edward VII foresaw, that is, brought added interest to our journeyings around the beautiful countryside of East Anglia and England.

Hellesdon Village Sign (ancient side) before re-siting outside Village Hall.

2010 - final touches to 2nd repaint of double-sided Hellesdon Village Sign, originally carved to be  left natural and sited on Bull roundabout 1985.

Iris

February 2023

Painting of a blue iris plant by Granny Bonnet

One of my most favourite flowers is the Iris. From early clumps of Iris sylvatica that can expand into great swathes of blue or purple carpeting, to stately flag irises that rise out of the border in so many different guises. The most well-known border variety is Iris germanica, sometimes known as bearded iris, whose flowers come in all colours, often with elaborate ruffles. I'm particularly fond of one that goes by the name of Rajah which was given to me by a long-dead friend and which I have managed to keep going for many years. Its main petals are a soft bronze colour and its middle is yellow, not particularly showy by today’s standards, but it has a heavenly scent.

Not so another of my garden companions that chooses to stay rather more hidden in the light shadow of a Cedrus Deodar and which definitely does not have an attractive perfume!

Iris Feotidissima—stinking iris. Image credit: Patrick Roper

​The flowers are fairly insignificant pale yellow with a touch of mauve and are veined with darker lines. While they can be easily overlooked at the time of flowering, at the other end of the season it’s a different story as the large seed-pods burst open to revel glorious flaming orange seeds that light the gloom of the corner it chooses to reside in.

Iris berries by Jymm

In plant-lore, this iris has many names. Blue Devil, Dragon Flower, Dagger Flower are a few of them. Stinking Iris, Bloody Bones and Roast-Beef Plant are others, for if the leaves are bruised, they give off an unpleasant odour like stale, bloody meat. The evergreen leaves are typically flat, narrow and upright and I can certainly see how it acquired its other common-names Gladdon or Gladwyn, as they derive from Old English for 'sword'.

Irises carved in oak—Granny Bonnet

Many years ago Granny carved some irises in Oak. More recently, on holiday in France, I whiled away some time painting an iris to be left in the lovely old house we were sharing with friends. Now I have it in mind to get out my pastels and attempt another painting for myself. This time I hope I can do justice to the elegant purple Iris Siberica. I for one, just can't get enough of irises and their lovely fragrant blooms!