Blofield

Blofield is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England. The parish includes Blofield and the hamlets of Blofield Heath and Blofield Corner and, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 3,221, increasing to 3,316 at the 2011 Census. It is on the A47, five miles (8 km) east of Norwich and 14 mi west of Great Yarmouth. Since construction of a bypass in 1982, the A47 no longer passes through the village.

History
Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Blafelda and Blauuefelde, Blofield has a long history. There are a number of theories regarding the origins of its name, which may derive from the Anglo-Saxon for blue Blech or Bleo, blossom Bloo or blow Blowan, along with the word for field Feld. The oldest building in the village is the Parish Church of St Andrew and St Peter, built sometime between 1420 and 1444, and largely replacing an earlier Norman structure. Large in size, it reflects the prosperity of the wool trade over this period.

Amenities
Village amenities include the recently reopened and refurbished Kings Head public house, Blofield County Primary School, a doctors' surgery, a library, scout hut, newsagent, post office/convenience store, fish and chip shop, florist, hairdresser, an outdoor leisure and camping store, a farm shop and a solicitor's office.

Sporting and social facilities are also provided by Margaret Harker Hall and Blofield Court House constitute the meeting place for a number of village groups; these include the Women's Institute (which was formed in 1918 and claims to be the oldest in Norfolk), Guides, badminton club, slimming groups and playgroup for children of pre-school age. The Court House also hosts regular film shows showing recent releases, usually on the first or second Friday of every month.

Blofield Heath has one Indian restaurant, The Tamarind, and a post office/convenience store. Heathlands Community Centre is a focal point for social activities. The village has a primary school, Hemblington County Primary. A pre-school playgroup also operates from Heathlands.

Transport
Blofield is served by the no. 15 Green Line bus route to Brundall, Norwich, Wymondham and Silfield; it is operated by First Eastern Counties. Buses operate hourly during the day; there is no service in the evenings, but there is a limited service as far as Norwich on Sundays.

Brundall railway station is located about a mile away; there are regular services to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Norwich, which are operated by Greater Anglia.

Sport
Blofield has a tennis Club founded in May 1924 with 3 grass courts and 2 hard court open to members. Tennis coaching and courses run by LTA licensed coaches for adults and juniors. Open club sessions and teams in mens, ladies and mixed leagues.

Blofield has two Non-League football clubs:
 * Norwich United F.C. who play at Plantation Park, just outside the village centre but within the parish
 * Blofield United F.C. who play in the Anglian Combination Premier Division, their home ground at the Margaret Harker Hall playing field in the centre of the village.

Notable people

 * Sir Arthur Borton – Governor of Malta 1878-1884 was born in Blofield in 1814.
 * Darren Eadie – former football player who played for Norwich City and Leicester City.
 * John Edrich – England Test cricketer from 1963 to 1976, was born in Blofield in 1937.
 * Ken Brown – Norwich City manager from 1980 to 1987.

War memorial
Both World Wars had an enormous impact on Blofield, which is remembered by a stone Celtic cross located in St. Andrew's and St. Peter's Churchyard. It bears the following names for the First World War:
 * Lieutenant Reginald E. Blyth (d.1916), HMS Barham
 * Leading-Seaman Arthur J. Ward (1888–1918), HMS Nicator
 * Leading-Seaman Robert J. Payne (1897–1918), HMS Racoon
 * Leading-Stoker Arthur J. Smith (1876–1916), HMS Invincible
 * Corporal William Brown (1880–1917), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Lance-Corporal James W. Jaggs (d.1918), 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
 * Lance-Corporal Benjamin Marshall (d.1918), 1/4th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
 * Private William Hanton (d.1917), 11th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment
 * Private Harry Gostling (1893–1916), 4th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
 * Private Herbert C. Waterton (d.1916), 12th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
 * Private Bernard H. Limpus (1876–1917), 24th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
 * Private Alec R. East (1895–1917), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private William G. Green (1898–1917), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Frederick W. Symonds (1892–1916), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Charles H. J. Marler (1885–1917), 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Benjamin Newstead (1886–1916), 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Reginald Gunns (1891–1916), 8th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Thomas B. Farman (d.1915), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private William R. Gowen (1891–1917), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Herbert G. Houghton (1895–1918), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Ernest A. Ling (1898–1918), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Albert Newstead (1893–1918), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Samuel J. Shreeve (1890–1916), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private Russel J. Symonds (d.1915), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Private George W. Burdett (d.1916), 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
 * Rifleman Ernest L. Lynes (1895–1915), 7th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
 * Rifleman Alfred J. Simmons (d.1918), 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
 * Sapper Walter F. Foulger (1884–1917), 130th (Field) Company, Royal Engineers
 * Philip S. Barber
 * Percy H. Hall
 * A. Nelson Rose
 * William Turner

And, the following for the Second World War:
 * Lance-Corporal Matthew Hanton (1903–1942), 6th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Able-Seaman Ronald C. A. Marshall (1919–1940), HMS Ivanhoe
 * Leading-Aircraftman E. R. John Spooner (1922–1942), Royal Air Force
 * Guardsman Benjamin D. Barber (1920–1940), 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
 * Private Stanley C. Trett (1920–1942), 6th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
 * Richard Beck
 * Reggie Bussey