Metfield is a small, pretty
village in north Suffolk on the B1123, about halfway between
Harleston and Halesworth, above the Waveney Valley. It has a
population of approximately 400.
Church of St John the Baptist
There may well have been a church here in early times, as
Domesday records several churches under the heading of Mendham, a
village two miles to the north-west with which Metfield has had
longstanding links. Indeed, until 1521, the parish was served by a
‘chaplain’ from the Cluniac Priory at Mendham, which had been
founded by William de Huntingfield in 1155. There are also traces
of ‘long-and-short’ work in the external walls, another sign of
early origins.
More about the church of St John the
Baptist
A brief history
There is no mention of Metfield in the 1086 Domesday survey,
though the village’s Anglo-Saxon name – Medefeld (the mowed
clearing) – and the archaeological finds made in the locality
indicate that there was a settlement here before the Norman
Conquest.
The manor of Metfield was granted to Sir John Jermy in 1325 by
his brother-in-law Thomas of Brotherton, who was a son of King
Edward I. The Jermys were to be the principal inhabitants of
Metfield for over 300 years, presiding over the manor courts and
proving munificent benefactors to the parish church. A bequest by
Sir John’s grandson in 1385 enabled the church tower to be
completed, and the 1428 bequest of Sir John Jermy, who had fought
in the Battle of Agincourt, gave the church a fine new font and the
splendid perpendicular-style windows in the nave and chancel. The
manor left the hands of the Jermys in the direct male descent in
1652, but a lateral descendant (the landscape painter, Miles
Fairhurst) lives in the village today.
In the 1630s, a stream of emigrants left north Suffolk to settle
in New England. By a link established in 1990, annual visits have
been made from Medfield, Massachusetts to Metfield.
In 1820, twenty years
before the County Police was formed, the Metfield Association
for the Prosecution of Felons met in the Huntsman and Hounds
public house (one of three in the village) to plan the
protection of the people and their property.
In the two world wars of 1914–18 and 1939–45, twelve Metfield
men sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom.
From 1943–44 US Army Air Force planes flew missions from the
wartime Metfield airfield. Twenty-eight fighter pilots and
fifty-five members of Liberator B24 bomber crews lost their
lives.
Winks Meadow
Winks Meadow is a tiny remnant of what was an extensive area of
unimproved grassland at the beginning of the last century. This
3.4-acre meadow has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI) and is managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Five
species of orchid have been recorded at Winks Meadow –
Common-spotted, Green-winged, Bee, Pyramidal and Frog orchid at its
only remaining site in Suffolk. It is also home to many rare meadow
flowers. See
www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-nature-reserves-winks-meadow
Village life
Many villagers are involved with clubs and committees and other
activities, including: Metfield Under Fives, Metfield Rainbows, the
Good Companions, Metfield Bellringers, Yoga Group, Chi Kung group,
LETS group, bridge and cribbage groups, carpet bowls, the Women’s
Institute, the Produce Show Committee, the Parish Council, the
Trustees of the Metfield Charities, the Village Hall Committee, the
Village Sports Committee, the Community Bus, the Allotments
Association, the Chicken Co-op, and a recent and wonderful
community enterprise, Metfield Stores, which has enhanced village
life and become the focal point for many social activities.
Metfield Stores
Rachel to the rescue!
The very run-down village shop went up for auction in the winter of
2005 and was in danger of being lost to the village forever. Then
local resident Rachel Kellett, having sold her village home prior
to spending 6 months in India, decided to buy the building to give
the residents of Metfield the chance to save it. Her bid was
successful and then the real work began. Nearly 50 volunteers,
offering skills such as design, building, carpentry, decorating,
cleaning, retail, PR and project management, worked tirelessly to
complete the work in less than 2 months!
Villagers make it happen
Many people bought shares and it was this capital, along with a
£5,000 grant from Suffolk Village Shops Group, which enabled the
volunteers to transform the premises with new floor, ceiling,
decoration and shelving.
Grand opening
On Sunday 30 April 2006, Metfield Stores reopened as a
community-run shop. One of the first Community Interest Companies
(CICs) to be formed in Suffolk, the Stores has now been trading for
over 3 years, with two part-time managers, a team of more than 30
volunteers and a board of directors (with subgroups to handle the
day-to-day business of stock, finance, promotion, staff, etc.).
Shop local
The shop is open 7 days a week. While always trying to cater for
everyone's wants – a tall order for any business – and attempting
to stock a range of everyday goods to suit a variety of tastes,
Metfield Stores has also gained a reputation for helping to
champion the local producer. In addition to a basic range of
groceries, newspapers, tobacco, magazines and greetings cards,
there is always a range of local produce, including eggs,
milk, fresh and frozen pork and beef, organic vegetables, jams,
honey, freshly baked pies, pasties, cakes, beers, wines, apple
juice, ice cream…
For more information about the Stores, go to the Metfield
website at
www.metfield.org.uk.
Information compiled by Bridget Morley and Linda Norris who have
made every effort in the short time available to ensure accuracy,
but who cannot be held liable for any
errors.