Village signs is a series of caches based on the ornate signs that depict the heritage, history and culture of the villages that put them up (normally 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 stated in Norfolk or Suffolk and has now spread across most of the country so we thought we would base a series on them!
The following is taken from Wikipedia. Topcroft is a Village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The Village is around 7 miles (11 km) north west of Bungay and 14 miles (23 km) south of Norwich in the South Norfolk district. The village lies close to the B1527 road.
The parish had a population of 265 at the 2011 census.[3] A notable resident of Topcroft is the artist Hannah Giffard, creator of Pablo the Little Red Fox, an animated television series for children.
Topcroft has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085.[4] In the great book Topcroft is recorded by the name Topercroft and Topercropt and was part of the holdings of Eudo FitzSpirwic, Berenger from Saint Edmund’s.
During World War II RAF Hardwick was built just to the south-west of the parish boundary. The airfield was operated by Bombardment groups of the US Eighth Air Force during the war and closed in 1945.
The following is taken from hempnall group.co.uk. The brick village sign in the Street depicts Margery Brews of Topcroft Hall writing the first Valentine to John Paston. Near it stands a plaque commemorating the twinning between Melle in France and Topcroft/Bedingham in 1995.
The cache is a fairly straightforward traditional. There is room to park on the side of the road close to the sign. The hint is fairly specific so if you want a little challenge have a look before you read it! Happy geocaching!
If anybody would like to expand this series please do. I would just ask that you let Smokeypugs know first so they can keep track of the Village Sign numbers and names to avoid duplication.