Carbrooke HistoryHeritage Group whats on posts
It’s great to see the Carbrooke Plough back on its plinth outside Carbrooke Village Hall 2024
It was originally cast at Carbrooke foundry many years ago, and renovated by prisoners at Wayland prison, before being placed on its plinth in 2012.
After 10 years open to the elements, it was beginning to deteriorate, and has now had its wood work replaced and a re-paint of the ironwork by a Carbrooke resident.
Many thanks to all concerned.
The Hunton Page Plough
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Celebrate the Queens Jubilee with us, with Tea and Memories.
Friday 20th May 2-4 pm.
Carbrooke Village Hall
Afternoon Tea to celebrate the Queens Jubilee. Hosted by Carbrooke Heritage Group. Come along to chat and reminisce about Carbrooke in days gone by. We would love to see any photos or memorabilia you may like to bring along.
We will have photos and articles on display, and why not take a peak at our plans for the new Heritage Centre.
Everyone welcome. Local transport can be arranged if necessary.
As our part in community celebrations for the Queens Platinum Jubilee.
The Heritage group are always keen to hear stories of Carbrooke from days gone by, no matter how ordinary they may seem, as life changes so quickly. We invite you to join us as we reminisce over tea and cake, of Carbrooke life in the past. Or perhaps you would like to hear more about what Carbrooke was like in the past.
Old photos on display, and if you have any photos or artefacts to show, we would love to see them.Please also let anyone else who may be interested know about it too.
We also have great news as we look to create a permanent heritage centre in the portacabin behind the village hall, and invite you to take a look at our plans.
We look forward to seeing you on 20th May
Preparations for Apple Day 2000
By late 1990’s Carbrooke had an ancient Church, thriving school and village hall for villagers to meet inside, but no public open space.
For some years the idea of a public playing field had been discussed, the11 acre field behind the village hall being the ideal spot – spacious, central, and with good access. Knowing that keeping a large public space maintained would be a difficult job, the land owner was not keen to sell it unless a suitable trust could be set up to manage such a project and permanently maintain the area.
As the millenium drew to a close, a nationwide project to provide the nation with open public spaces, offering assistance and funding was underway. ‘The Millenium Green Scheme’.
Lesley Kant and Steve Cuneen, village residents, used their business and gardening knowledge along with Jan Godfrey and Geoff Nobes from Norfolk Wildlife Trust, to form a committee and approach Mr Buscall of Carbrooke Hall, to purchase the land, draw up plans and form a trust to manage it.
The Charity was set up on 9th October 1997, and work began to-
“PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN AN OPEN SPACE TO BE KNOWN AS CARBROOKE MILLENNIUM GREEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE INHABITANTS AND TO BE USED FOREVER FOR RECREATION, PLAY OR OTHER LEISURE-TIME OCCUPATIONS, A MEETING AREA OR PLACE OF COMMUNITY EVENTS”.
The field was levelled and prepared, with the villages turning out to do ‘stone picking’ in May 1998, and much fundraising.
Designs were drawn up incorporating, a large flat grassy area, suitable for general play, gatherings, fetes, football matches and sports days. A pre-school play area, play area for older children, maze, apple orchard, amphitheatre, wildlife meadow, pond, and dog walking areas.
The whole area was planted using native plants, a sculptor assisted by the school children, created the stone toadstool from the stones picked out of the ground, and the ‘Carbrooke Fox’ wooden sculpture linking the two areas – utility and wildlife.
The Green was officially opened with an Apple Day in September 2000 by TV gardener Bob Flowerdew.
Carbrookew Millenium Green is now fully established, and as with any planted area will continue to grow and change as years go by. It has become a very popular focal point not only for Carbrooke residents, but also in attracting people from further afield, allowing our children an enormous space to play and enjoy the outdoors, as well as folk who would rather just sit and watch the world go by on one of the benches.
Millenium Green establishment committee c1999
‘The Carbrooke Fox’
Planting the maze c1997
Carbrooke Fete 2013
Page last Updated 22.03.2022
