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
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, being approximately 5 miles south east of
Harleston and 7 miles north west of
Halesworth
Halesworth is a market town, civil parish and electoral ward in north-eastern Suffolk, England. The population stood at 4,726 in the 2011 Census. It lies south-west of Lowestoft, on a tributary of the River Blyth, upstream from Southwold. T ...
. The population was estimated to be 370 in 1996, increasing to 388 at the 2011 Census.
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 is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,799 according to the 2020 United States Census. It is a community about southwest of Boston, Massachusetts, which is a 40-minute drive to Boston's fina ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, the Church of the Advent. The town is named after Metfield.
The Village has had no public house since 2007, when the only pub, The Duke William, closed. In May 2013 the pub re-opened as a successful Tea Room. During early 2014, the Tea Rooms expanded into a Bed and Breakfast along with a shop. Currently (2021) only B&B is available.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
an airfield was built just outside Metfield for use by the
USAAF
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
491st Bomb Group and the
353d Fighter Group. On 15 July 1944 a bomb dump blew up, detonating over 1,000 tons of bombs and explosive, killing five men and wrecking five
B-24
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
bombers.
The local economy is mainly
agricultural with some light industry.
The village now has its own website at metfieldsuffolk.co
In November 2017, local author Christine Brennan published her book
METFIELD Tales From a Suffolk Village 1928–2017'.
Nearby villages include
Cratfield
Cratfield is a village in northern Suffolk, England. "It has a population of 292 according to the 2011 census."
Neighbouring villages include Laxfield, Metfield, Cookley, Huntingfield, Heveningham. The nearest town, Halesworth, is approximately ...
.
References
External links
Metfield''Diss Express''
- village's local newspaper website
Villages in Suffolk
Mid Suffolk District
Civil parishes in Suffolk
{{Suffolk-geo-stub