The Sign

(Sign part text by Adrian Pye)

The sign is surmounted by a boot with an eel which relates to the public house “The Eel’s Foot”. Within the circular silhouette style sign the rising sun shines over the marshes with the Eastbridge windpump on the horizon. Built in the mid-19th century, this was one of four smock windpumps, which drained Minsmere Level. After it collapsed in 1977, it was removed and rebuilt at the Museum of East Anglian Life at Stowmarket. In the foreground is the Twopenny Arch.  A heron can be seen in the marshes on the reverse of the sign. Below the name, a revenue man is in pursuit of a moonshiner. Apparently an occurrence not uncommon in days of yore. The sign was erected in 2009, made by Graham Chaplin of Buxhall of steel.

The Name and Population
Possibly called Briges in the Domesday Book and then Brigge in 1275. It was called East Bridge Street on Hodskinson's map of 1783. Very small population, less than 50. The name meaning is "The place at the bridge".

Other Points of Interest
The Eels Foot Inn could date back as far as 1533, a favourite stop off for drovers and smugglers.