Many years ago, one of my first jobs as a new Parish Councillor was to commission a village sign for Hengrave. Unlike most Suffolk villages, we had never had a sign and a grant was secured via the Millennium Fund in the late 1990's to have one made. 

The Harry Stebbings studios who specialise in items like village notice boards, signs, benches and ecclesiastical furniture were the natural choice to create our sign. Harry Stebbing still leads this happy band of artisans after teaching wood and metal work, including ‘A’ level furniture design for over 24 years. Diana Burnard, their artist/designer, studied art at St Martin's School of Art in London, and then went to UEA where she studied modern history. The hand carving is done by Jonathan Bacon and Rob Lewis, who is a member of the illustrious Master Carvers’ Association; examples of his work can be seen in Windsor Castle, Downing Street, and the Houses of Parliament. 

We agreed a design brief using photographs I had from my many visits to Hengrave Hall and the history of the estate. The result was a beautifully detailed oak sign featuring the Hall itself, the summer house, Tudor roses, the figure Sir Thomas Gage, links to the family of George Washington (one of Sir Thomas Kitson's daughters married into the Washington family) and the armorials above the front entrance to Hengrave Hall. 

Twenty five years later, it looked dirty and weathered and the plinth was in need of repair. So, a volunteer group of villagers removed the sign in July so it could be cleaned and restored and the plinth was re-cemented and sanded. It's now back in its rightful place with the detail clear again in the silvery weathered oak.  

Janet Davies

Chair

Flempton cum Hengrave Parish Council