A plaque erected in 1876 has sparked a hunt for its origins and meaning.
More than 140 years after it was engraved, a resident spotted it on Saracen’s Head Village Hall and contacted historian Geoff Taylor of Chain Bridge Forge to see if any information was known about it.
Geoff said the tablet was put there by the school board and depicts the Golden Fleece which goes back to Duke Philip the Good, Duchy of Burgundy in 1430.
The mystery is what links this marking with South Holland.
Since appealing for information online, the best bet so far comes from Lesley Jones, who said: “The plough is the agricultural connection to the local area but has been adopted by schools over the ages to represent Christianity and the beginning of a new chapter in life.
“The fleece is a very old symbol that represents protection.
“The two together could mean protection of the new beginnings of education. There are quite a few schools that have both symbols on their crest. The fleece is also a Greek symbol for wisdom, befitting to a school of learning.”
Do you think this adds up or have you another theory that could solve the mystery?
Email Geoff at chainbridgeforge@gmail.com with your ideas.
