Historic New Buckenham helps celebrate king's coronation

Scores of residents from New Buckenham gathered at the village hall where a new children’s garden was opened and morris dancers performed.

Villagers enjoyed a free barbecue and ice-cream while the children were given a commemorative bookmark and sweets.

Dozens of houses in the small south Norfolk village were decorated with flags and new bunting was festooned across the green.

The day began with the opening of the children’s garden which saw a ribbon cut, a cherry tree planted and a time capsule buried in the soil.

In the afternoon there were two lively performances by the Golden Star Morris Dancers from Norwich. 

The main centre piece of the garden is a sculpture produced by Sheringham-based artist Kate Munro.

The metal sculpture incorporates plant and animals from pictures drawn by children in the village. 

The cherry tree was planted to commemorate the coronation and had an accompanying plaque to mark the occasion.

Villager Mandy Hartley, 49, who helped organise the event, said: "It’s brilliant how everyone has come together to celebrate the coronation.

"Everyone has made such a huge effort.

"It was lovely to see the children who helped create the garden plant the seedlings they had grown for the event. 

"The sculpture is incredible, Kate has done an amazing job.

"The morris dancers were also a great success.

"It seems fitting to hold a coronation celebration in a village that was built for a castle all

those years ago."

New Buckenham was a planned town created by William D’Albini between 1146 and 1176 to serve Buckenham Castle.

It is renowned by historians as a planned town whose grid layout and size has remained largely unaltered since medieval times.