History
Photograph of original Bodham Sign
Bodham Village Sign
The Bodham village sign can be seen standing proud as you drive along the main road (A148) between Holt and Cromer. Bodham is a village set in the midst of agricultural land, with enough modern houses and bungalows to make you realise that it has grown in recent years - as so many Norfolk villages have.
The sign shows a representation of a medieval tax collector going about his employment. The tax collector's name was Boda and is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which confirms his existence and the fact that he lived there. Bodham means "Boda's Village".
The usual assumption is that a tax collector collects money and here, on the sign, we can see bags for the cash. However, if due taxes were not forthcoming in coin of the realm then portable goods were acceptable, hence one may suppose that the depiected livestock were for tax payment.
Congratulation should be given to the village of Bodham for thinking of yet another theme to add to the interest of much admired village signs in the county. The sign was the gift of Bodham and District Women's Institute on the occasion of the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. The sign was made by Harry Carter who has made many village signs in Norfolk.
By 2007 the sign was badly in need of refurbishment and Wayland Prison came to our rescue. Don Clark and Mick Savage (team leaders) made a magnificent job of refurbishing the sign and on 29 July 2007 with 33 villagers attending the sign was unveiled by the Parish Council Chairman (Harry Bruford) ably assisted by Madeline Prince who was instrumental in getting the original sign in 1977. Rev Peter Alexander gave a dedication.