Metfield
Encyclopedia
Metfield is a village
in Suffolk
, England
, but its name is derived from Medefeld or 'Meadow feld' (see Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names). It is situated close to the border with Norfolk
, being approximately 5 miles south east of Harleston and 7 miles north west of Halesworth
. The population was estimated to be 370 in 1996.
The parish church is the 13th century church of St. John the Baptist, which was extensively remodelled in the 15th century. St. John the Baptist has a sister parish in Medfield, Massachusetts
in the United States
, the Church of the Advent. The town is named after Metfield.
During World War II
an airfield was built just outside Metfield for use by the USAAF 491st Bomb Group and the 353rd Fighter Group. On 15 July 1944 the bomb dump blew up, detonating over 1,000 tons of bombs and explosive, killing five men and wrecking five B-24 bombers.
The local economy is mainly agricultural with some light industry
.
Nearby villages include Cratfield
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but its name is derived from Medefeld or 'Meadow feld' (see Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names). It is situated close to the border with Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, being approximately 5 miles south east of Harleston and 7 miles north west of Halesworth
Halesworth
Halesworth is a small market town in the northeastern corner of Suffolk, England. It is located south west of Lowestoft, and straddles the River Blyth, 9 miles upstream from Southwold. The town is served by Halesworth railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line...
. The population was estimated to be 370 in 1996.
The parish church is the 13th century church of St. John the Baptist, which was extensively remodelled in the 15th century. St. John the Baptist has a sister parish in Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Church of the Advent. The town is named after Metfield.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
an airfield was built just outside Metfield for use by the USAAF 491st Bomb Group and the 353rd Fighter Group. On 15 July 1944 the bomb dump blew up, detonating over 1,000 tons of bombs and explosive, killing five men and wrecking five B-24 bombers.
The local economy is mainly agricultural with some light industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
.
Nearby villages include Cratfield
Cratfield
Cratfield is a village in northern Suffolk, England.Neighbouring villages include Laxfield, Metfield, Cookley, Huntingfield, Heveningham. The nearest town, Halesworth, is approximately 5 miles away. Southwold is a popular, nearby coastal town. The market town of Framlingham is also close...
.
External links
- Metfield
- St John the Baptist Church, Metfield
- Diss Express - village's local newspaper website
- a description of the explosion at the dump