You may have noticed how resplendent the Village Sign now looks as the Parish Council have had the whole Sign restored. We thought those who have moved into the village recently may be interested in some of the history of Parsonage Green and the Village Sign.
Parsonage Green has always been a focal point in the village. In fact in the days when there was a village store in what is now the Longhouse, opposite the Green, apparently children used to play cricket there while waiting for parents to complete their purchases in the shop.
In 1987 the then owners of the Green gave permission for the Village Sign to be erected and a Time Capsule was buried on behalf of the children at the School so future generations could see how their ancestors lived. The Village Sign was commissioned by Cockfield Community Council and unveiled by Robert Shawyer the former Lord of Earls Hall and Cockfield Manors in 1987. The bench was awarded to the Village by Babergh District Council after the Village won the Best Kept Village in 1984. In 2021 the Parish Council purchased and erected a Tommy Statue on the Green to serve as a poignant and effective reminder for the service and sacrifice of those who served historically and in recent times.
In 2004 Parsonage Green was purchased by the Village to preserve the status of the Green and the Village Sign for future generations. The Parish Council are now owners of the Green. When the Green was purchased there was a hard track through the middle, this was removed to improve the appearance and the two Alder trees were planted. Mr and Mrs Marshall have kindly taken on responsibility for cutting the grass since the purchase. Also the WI have planted bulbs on the front corners.
Mr Mike Wells from AJ Joinery in Old Hall Lane rebuilt the Village Sign in 2019 using the original design and he requested that in lieu of payment donations should be made to the My Wish charity, which is the local charity for the West Suffolk Hospital. Mr Ralph Turner has recently taken the Village Sign down to refurbish by oiling the wood and repainting thus highlighting the features - a splendid job!
The Parish Council were advised that the post was deteriorating and Mr Elvert Evans and his son Dean kindly offered to carry out the work to replace the post. Having removed the post whilst preserving the flint wall surrounding the Village Sign a new Iroko post was sourced from Suffolk Timber Products from Cockfield Aerodrome who machined and shaped the new post. A metal sleeve was donated by Parish Engineering from Crossways on the Sudbury Road. On delivery of the new post Mr Evans and his son concreted the new post in with volunteers helping Mr Turner to reinstate the Village Sign to its rightful place.
The Parish Council is grateful to the members of the village who helped with this project and to the quality of the workmanship.
