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This village sign at Dickleburgh in Norfolk depicts Christopher Barnard, who was rector here in the seventeenth century. Standing by the church in the background are Oliver Cromwell and King Charles I. An inscription below the sign explains why these three are depicted here. It reads:
CHRISTOPHER BARNARD FROM LANGHAM NEAR WELLS IN NORFOLK WAS INSTITUTED RECTOR OF DICKLEBURGH IN 1622. HE WAS DISPOSSESSED BY THE EARL OF MANCHESTER IN 1643 FOR REFUSING THE COVENANT. SOLDIERS PLUNDERED HIS HOUSE BEFORE TAKING HIM OFF TO NORWICH CASTLE. HIS PARISHIONERS HAD SUCH A HIGH REGARD FOR HIM THAT THEY QUICKLY FORMED THREE PARTIES, SURROUNDED THE SOLDIERS AT TIVETSHALL RAM & AFTER A VIOLENT STRUGGLE RESCUED THE RECTOR. THE PARISHIONERS THEN HID THE REMAINDER OF HIS GOODS FROM THE SOLDIERS. HE CONTINUED TO LIVE AT THE RECTORY WITH HIS WIFE ALICE AND THEIR TEN CHILDREN. BUT AS HE RECEIVED ONLY ONE FIFTH OF HIS NORMAL INCOME HE WAS GIVEN HELP BY THE PARISHIONERS. HE WAS RESTORED IN 1662 & REMAINED RECTOR UNTIL HE DIED IN 1680 AGED 85.
Dickleburgh’s sign was painted a few years ago by local resident and artist Will Adams. Replacing an earlier sign, he re-designed the picture, making the figures larger than they were before, thus making them more prominent. He used acrylic paints on marine plywood."
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