2021
TL9762 : Woolpit village sign
taken 5 years ago, near to Woolpit, Suffolk, England
Woolpit village sign
The sign depicts the legend of the Green Children. Wikipedia says: The legend of the green children of Woolpit concerns two children of unusual skin colour who reportedly appeared in the village of Woolpit in Suffolk, England, some time in the 12th century, perhaps during the reign of King Stephen. The children, brother and sister, were of generally normal appearance except for the green colour of their skin. They spoke in an unknown language, and the only food they would eat was beans. Eventually they learned to eat other food and lost their green pallor, but the boy was sickly and died soon after he and his sister were baptised. The girl adjusted to her new life, but she was considered to be "rather loose and wanton in her conduct". After she learned to speak English, the girl explained that she and her brother had come from St Martin's Land, an underground world whose inhabitants are green. (source - Wikipedia) The name of the village was originally “wulfpit”, a pit for trapping wolves. Hence to wolf. The church of St Mary is also featured on the sign.
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Village Signs of East Anglia Village signs are typically placed along the principal road or in a prominent location such as a village green or close by the church. The design often depicts a particularly 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.
Although they do appear in villages and towns all over the country they are more prominent in East Anglia than elsewhere in the country.
Suffolk Village Signs Suffolk has the second largest number of village signs in the UK currently estimated at over 375. Very much an East Anglian tradition the idea originally came from just over the border, at Sandringham in Norfolk when the future Edward VII commissioned signs for the estate. Then in 1920 the then Duke of York gave a speech at the Royal Academy promoting the wider use of village signs following which the Daily Mail ran a national competition. Subsequently villages across the country took up the challenge but the concept was grasped most keenly in the east.
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