Metfield
 |
| Metfield | |
|---|---|
 St. John the Baptist Church, Metfield | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
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.
The Village has no public house after the only pub, The Duke William, closed in 2007. Since May 2013 the pub has re-opened as a successful Tea Room. During early 2014, the Tea Rooms expanded into a Bed and Breakfast along with a shop.
During World War II an airfield was built just outside Metfield for use by the USAAF 491st Bomb Group and the 353d 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.
External links
- Metfield
- St John the Baptist Church, Metfield
- Diss Express - village's local newspaper website
- a description of the explosion at the dump
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