Village Sign Makers

A village sign can be an important landmark for an area; a unuique focal point for locals and visitors alike, perhaps standing on a village green, or on the road entering the locality. The design can be completely bespoke, reflecting what the area is known for & promoting a sense of pride amongst residents.

At Black Fox Metalcraft we love the challenge of creating something truly bespoke, and village signs are the perfect example of that. This page shows a couple of recent examples of village signs we have created, both very different in the way they were approached, but similar in how they reflect and celebrate the history and heritage of the area in which they stand.

Crockenhill, Kent

The Parish council approached us with a few rough ideas; they wanted the design to reflect the history of the area, and so sent through various documents and photos to help with our research and ideas. The key points to include were fruit picking; the warm climate in the area making it an ideal location for fruit trees to thrive, and the local church built in 1851 being a distinctive landmark. More challengingly from a design perspective was the idea of including a medieval tile Kiln; the name Crockenhill literally means 'the hill where stands a pottery kiln'; this industry thrived from the Tudor period onwards and so makes up an important part of the area's industrial heritage. Finally, it was suggested that we should try to include a steam traction engine. Steam power was introduced to agricultural work in the 1860s, transforming the industry in this area. The photos below show the initial design I sent following the inital brief, and also the sign hanging in it's frame, just before it was electroplated and powdercoated. The final photo was sent in by our happy customers, showing the sign proudly insitu on their village green.

All of our village signs are TIG welded, a highly skilled process which means welds are extremely high quality but also barely noticeable. It's this level of attention to detail that makes us proud of everything we produce.  The finish is design to last as long as possible; a layer of zinc electroplate is applied to help prevent rust, before a durable black powder coat is baked on at 170 degrees. Finally, three layers of paint are applied by hand to the text. We want to produce  beautiful things that will stand out and be noticed for many years to come.

Allington, Lincolnshire

The sign for Allington was designed as part of a village competition, the winning design was created by a local artist. We were sent a drawing asking if it could be turned into a metal sign, so I just had to make a few alterations to ensure every section was strong enough and well connected to each other. The themes behind the design remain the same though; a local landmark building sits at the top with a well and pump sitting in the foreground. The area is known for a hiking trail so this is a prominent park of the design, and a plant that grows well in the locality is also featured.

Both communities specified different brackets; the Crockenhill sign hangs within a frame that mounts to the top of a post, whereas Allington hangs from a bracket that mounts to the side of a post. We are happy to design and make custom brackets to suit your requirements.

If you are thinking of commissioning a Village sign, why not contact us to discuss your ideas with no obligation.