^{The village hall sign is the culmination of a project undertaken by the village hall committee to commemorate the new millenium in 2000/2001.  The necessary funds were raised entirely by the voluntary contributions of the villagers of the three small communities of Blackmore End, Beazley End and Rotten End.  The bulk of these monies came from the "Open Gardens Festivals" in 1999 and 2000. Since these three communities share the same village hall it was felt appropriate that the sign be located there rather on the green of just one of them. The Committee members ideas for the sign were transposed into reality by local artist Carole Pullen and other local craftspersons made the woodwork and the metalwork. Since few significant local historical events could be attributed it was felt that the three communities' rich agricultural heritage be commemorated.}

^{Thus the sign shows the following:}

^{Working Horses - The working horse was the mainstay of local agriculture for centuries and local farmers were noted for their splendid stables and horses.}

^{Oast Houses - hopfields were a feature of the local landscape, particularly on the rich loams found in the Widley Brook and Pant Valleys. Consequently oast houses were needed for the drying of hops. Some survive to this day in the form of private homes.}

^{Blacksmiths - These were inseparable from the horse and forges were to be found both at Blackmore End and Beazley End . Unlike hop growing, local blacksmiths are still around as can be seen from the fine wrought ironwork on the sign.}

^{Windmills - These were once a common feature of the local lanscape and Blackmore End boasted a fine example of a tower mill at Lower Green near to the old smithy.  Unfortunately only an old misty photograph remains.}

^{Roses - The wrought ironwork surmounting the sign incorporates four stylised roses representing the present day, internationally acclaimed, National Collection of Bourbon Roses, the liftimes work of local residents Mr and Mrs Lewis.}

^{Courtauld Crest - Crowning the sign is the Coat of Arms of the Courtauld family who donated both the Village Hall and Playing Field to the local community.  The heraldry includes both the Fleur de Lys above the motto, which loosely translates as "Hold the Truth" denoting the French connections when Huguenots fled religious persecution in the early 17th cntury, settled in England in the Braintree district in particular, and founded a dynasty.  The rest, as they say is history.}