The village sign was erected in 1984 and comprises 4 panels depicting different periods in the history of the village. Each of the panels is headed with a different spelling of the village name that has been used at different times:
MATESHALA is the spelling found in the Domesday Book of 1086. This panel depicts a hoard of 1100 Roman coins that were found in the village in 1968.
MATESHAL shows a rural scene with sheep. The church was one of many in Norfolk that was built with money earned from the wool trade. Also on this panel are the coat of arms Caius and Gonville College, Cambridge which has had a connection with Mattishall since 1370.
MATSALL shows Matthew Parker who was the first Archbishop appointed by Elizabeth I. Although he was born in Norwich, he has a strong Mattishall connection through his wife, Margaret Harleston who was born and lived here. They married in 1547. He may have been the origin of the term "Nosy Parker," due to his habit when archbishop of making detailed enquiries about church matters and other things.
MATTISHALL shows a tumbril which is a type of farm cart, painted in the colours of Dobbs Brothers. They were a local firm of Wheelwrights and Wagon Makers and their reputation for quality products was well known throughout East Anglia.
The coordinates above are for the village sign and not the location of the cache. To find the coordinates for the cache you will need to find the following information at the sign:
1. Number of horseshoes on the workshop wall = A
2. Number of hinges visible on door behind wall = B
The sign has faded since the cache was placed, so may be difficult to see under certain light conditions, so B = 1.
3. Number of vertical red bricks at base of pole = C
The final cache is located at:
N52° 39. (A+B) (B+C) (C-B) E001° 01. (AxA) B (C-A)
The cache is a short walk away, along a footpath that can be quite muddy at times. Please TAKE CARE, especially with children, as part of the path is very close to a steep sided ditch.
About Village Sign Caches
|
 ⠀ |
This cache belongs to the Village Sign Series, a series of caches based on ornate signs that depict the heritage, history and culture of the villages that put them up (generally on the village green!).
The signs can be made of different materials from fibreglass to wood, from forged steel to stone. They can depict anything from local industry to historical events. The tradition probably started in Norfolk or Suffolk and has now spread across most of the country so we thought we would base a series on them!
|
More information, bookmarks and statistics can be found at the Village Signs Website
If anybody would like to expand the Village Sign Series, please do.
I would ask that you request a number for your cache first at www.villagesignseries.co.uk
so we can keep track of the Village Sign numbers and names to avoid duplication.