Bell Tower - St.Mary the Virgin, High Street, Whissonsett, Dereham, Norfolk. NR20 5AP - Bell Towers on Waymarking.com

Witcingkeseta as it was known in the Domesday Book means either the settlement of the Witcing tribe or a place of watery meadows.

The Parish Church, dedicated to St.Mary the Virgin, is Grade II* listed. It is of C14th Medieval date with later additions and heavily restored and repaired in 1873. Built of flint with ashlar dressings it has slate roofs and consists of a west tower, aisleless nave with south porch, and chancel with vestry and organ outshoot to the north.

The early C14th west tower has diagonal buttresses, two-light cusped Y-traceried bell openings and small quatrefoil lights to the second floor. The inserted C15th west window is of two lights and has an embattled transom. There is a C15th crenellated parapet with corner finials, flushwork and blind traceried panels with shields. Six bells hang in the tower hung for conventional English-style ringing.

The light ring of six bells was overhauled in 1981 by local labour but unfortunately they are no longer rung on a regular basis. The following is an extract from Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers showing the weights in kg, the sounding notes of the bells, date cast and founder, as can be seen some are very old and the weight of the sixth is very near that of the fifth, usually the sixth is considerably heavier.

          Bell    Weight         Note            Dated        Founder
            1     136.08          F#             1998      John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd.
            2     122.08          E              c1450     Brasyers of Norwich 		
            3     191.87          D              1985      John Taylor & Co (Bellfounders) Ltd.
            4     214.10          C#             1674      Edward Tooke 		
            5     311.16          B              1594      William & Alice Brend
            6     352.89          A              1646      John II Brend

The Brasyers of Norwich were casting bells between 1377 and 1513 starting with Robert, to 1435, then his son Richard I, 1424 until 1482, and finally Richard II, 1478 until 1513.The Brend family business was started also in Norwich by John I Brend in c1564. His grandson, William was the founder from 1582 to 1636, Alice, William's wife? founded between 1586 and 1634 when John II took over in 1634 and the company ceased founding in 1658. Edward Tooke cast bells in Norwich between 1671 until 1678, a very short time in terms of bellfounding.

Words from British Listed Buildings and Pevsner's Norfolk 2 Buildings with amendments from own on site observations.

Coordinates are for the tower.

Address of Tower: St.Mary the Virgin High Street Whissonsett, Dereham, Norfolk UK NR20 5AP Still Operational: yes Number of bells in tower?: 6 Rate tower: Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Yes Relevant website?: Not listed

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