In 2014, we marked the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, a devastating conflict where over a million lives were lost. From Hartest, a peaceful village in Suffolk just eight miles from Sudbury, a group of ordinary men - butchers, farmers, and carpenters - answered the call to serve their country in the First World War.

At the village's heart lies The Crown, a pub that has long stood as a central part of village life. A fascinating feature of this pub is the twenty-four coins and tokens embedded into a beam on the ceiling. This decoration, which I've not seen elsewhere despite my familiarity with many pubs, has sparked curiosity and various theories about its origins.

Some believe that the village men placed the coins there the night before they left for war, as a promise to return for a drink in their local pub. Others think the coins were meant to bring them good luck, a theory seemingly supported by a horseshoe that encircles a couple of the coins on the beam.

The tokens are particularly intriguing. In an industrial area, it would be common to use tokens instead of cash, but Hartest was far from any industrial centers, making their presence a puzzle. The origins of these Victorian-era tokens and how they came to be in a rural Suffolk pub remain a mystery.

Of the men who left Hartest for the battlefields, fifteen did not return home. Some families lost multiple sons, others had loved ones go missing as far away as Basra, and the soldiers' ages ranged widely. The stories of those who did return - what they shared with their families, the impact of their experiences - are largely unknown.

While the reasons why a coin was nailed to the pub's beam may remain a mystery, The Crown is keen to learn more about these men and their descendants. If anyone has connections to Hartest's wartime history, the pub invites them to come forward.

The Crown at Hartest continues to be a welcoming place for both families and dogs. With a menu that changes with the seasons and a fine selection of wines and beers, it's a charming destination. Hartest itself is picturesque, offering lovely walks, and visitors are encouraged to come and take in the sight of the mysterious coins, which are a silent witness to the village's storied past.