15th June 2022 - Little Walden and Hadstock in Essex

 Introduction

Cycle to Saffron Walden and back via Linton using the B1052. Little Walden (127th) and Hadstock (128th)

Little Walden

Metal sign with crown - dated 2000. Silhouettes of airplanes, birds and animals. Nearby memorial to Little Walden Aerodrome in both World Wars.

Hadstock

Sign inclues church, old barn, tractor farming and USAF airforce base.

Sign on the post: "This sign was erected in 2004 funded by donations from Hadstock residents and Essex Rural Renaissance Fund grant."

128 signs in 41 rides 

8th July 2021 - Ashdon (Essex) and Bartlow

 Introduction

We rode our usual route to Saffron Walden and we had lunch at the Old English Gentleman. We cycled to Ashdon (113th) and then to Bartlow (114th) returning via Linton, Little Abington and Babraham. A total of about 65km (41 miles).

Ashdon (Essex)

Single sided - "Ascenduna 1086" at the bottom refers to the name of the village in the Domesday Book. The medieval scene shows a tree, shepherd with sheep, lambs and dog, man with pitchfork and a woman with basket. Flowers in circles next to the name.

Plaque on past: "Rural Community Council of Essex. Best Kept Village Award. Andrew Lewis Trophy. Ashdon 2006"

Bartlow

Single sided. The three tumuli. A plough. 2000.

114 signs in 37 rides this year. Our Eddington number this year is now 25.

23rd May 2021 - Chrishall (Essex) and Great Chishill - passed 100 signs

 Introduction

A climb to the highest point in Cambridgeshire at Great Chishill. A S/SW wind and the downhill helped us home. We went up Coploe Hill and then across to Elmdon in Essex which did not have a village sign. A short run to Chrishall in Essex which did have a sign the 100th - we had sandwiches there. Along the ridge and up to Great Chishill for number 101. Downhill with the wind behind us on the journey home. Heydon did not have a village sign. We continued down to Newton where the Queens Head was open for a couple of pints of Adnams Ghostship and the village sign is still just a post. 

Elmdon, Essex

No village sign but a fine signpost and closed pub sign in the centre of the village.

Chrishall, Essex

Double sided with same on both sides. Church with medieval religious couple with money and bible. Cottage with man sitting on barrel with tankard. Traction engine, pump, stream with bird, mallard and great crested newt. Farm labourer with wheatsheaf.

Plaque on post: "Given by people of Chrishall as a memorial to Roy William Loveday 1926-1996 in gratitude for devoted service to the village" 

Great Chishill

Highest point in Cambridgeshire

Single sided - windmill

Heydon

No village sign

101 signs in 32 cycle rides. 

28th April 2021 - Balsham, West Wratting, Weston Colville, Brinkley

 Introduction

A fine day with light wind. We set off for the villages along the ridge on the B1052 starting from Balsham towards Dullingham. We have visited Balsham before but we have never travelled along the B1052 this way. We climbed up to about 116m in Brinkley and then our favourite downhill to Six Mile Bottom. The total distance was about 53km (33 miles).

Balsham

This sign replaced the sign whose photograph appears if you search online:  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/745755

The sign shows a plough above and sheep below. The main part of the sign is a bishop probably Hugh de Balsham who was Bishop of Ely and possibly built the church. He founded Peterhouse College, the first college of  Cambridge University

Small plaque on post: 

"Designed and made by

Polly Neubauer

Martin Chamberlain

2014"

West Wratting

The sign shows a windmill which no longer exists. There is a Mill Road leading south from the village and Mill House is on this road after about half a mile.

Plaque on post: "Donated to the village of West Wratting by the W.I. and friends 19th July 1986"

Weston Colville

The sign is in the village named as Weston Green on the OS Map about half a mile SW of the church on the main road through Weston Colville.

Double sided: a familiar style. This side shows a tryptych with windmill, horse drawn plough and pheasant in the middle, man scything wheat on the left and cricket on the right. An Avro Lancaster from WWII flies above.

This side shows a tryptych with church, tractor and hare in the middle, fox on the left and owl on the right. An Avro Lancaster from WWII flies above.

Plaque on base: "This sign was erected to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VE & VJ days [1995]

The cost was met by public subscription. It was cast by B. Gaze and based on an original design by J. Wright. The base was provided and final erection by P. Mayfield"

Brinkley

Just off the main road on the High Street. It comes complete with a crochet basket

The sign shows bell making under a tree and has 1952 EIIR 1977 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee.

We have found 83 signs so far in 27 cycle rodes

30th March 2021 - Duxford, Littlebury, Great Chesterford, Ickleton and Hinxton

Introduction

A fine day forecast with temperature of 22°C we made packed lunches and set off for one our favourite rides to Saffron Walden. The ride from Ickleton to Strethall is one of the best. The total distance is about 64km or 40 miles. Our Eddington number for 2021 went up to 21. 

Duxford

Plaque on the post "The emblem of St Peter"

Plaque on the post "The emblem of St John"

Plaque on post: "Harold William Runham. Parish Councillor 1955-1981. Died 19th May 1981".

Plaque on post: "This sign designed and built by Donovan R.H. Bunning. Presented to Duxford to mark the two local churches".

Strethall (Essex)

A thankful village (all village men returned from WWI) with no sign.

Wendens Ambo (Essex)

A village with no village sign. There is a rock by the side of the road on the B1039 going into the village carved with WENDENS AMBO A.D. 2000 POP C 400.

Saffron Walden (Essex)

A town

Littlebury (Essex)

Lots of detail about the sign at http://www.littlebury.org.uk/index.php/17-news/newsflash/168-where-is-the-village-sign.html.

Double sided. The village sign represents the mill, now known as Kings Mill. First erected in 1981, originally in wood, the sign was damaged in 1999 and replaced with a glass fibre version in 2001. Restored in 2015. Crest with scissors.

Great Chesterford (Essex)

Perhaps the finest village sign we have seen so far, recently restored by the look of it.

This side shows farming represented by a horse drawn plough, railway represented by and LNER locomotive and road transport represented by a carriage. Great Chesterford was on the main road from London to Cambridge.

This side shows the Roman history of the village; views of the village showing church and street; medieval trades showing pie man with bell and woman with purple flowers (lavender?). 

Ickleton

The recently painted wrought iron sign is centred on a windmill surrounded by aspects of farming - ploughing, wheat, sheep and tools. The building above might be a water mill or a barn or possibly the medieval priory which no longer exists. 

Plaque on post: "This plaque is in remembrance of Ron, Helen, Nicholas and Clare Goddard of Ickleton who lost their lives in the helicopter disaster off the Isles of Scilly, July 16th 1983".

Hinxton

A modern looking sign - the symbol of DNA on the left representing the sequencing of DNA which was done at the Sanger Institute in the village. Wheat to celebrate farming. The buildings are the church, Hinxton Hall which houses the Sanger Institute and Hinxton water mill.

66 signs so far on 21 cycle rides.