Brisley is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.

Brisley
Brisley Village Sign
Brisley is located in Norfolk
Brisley
Brisley
Location within Norfolk
Area4.90 km2 (1.89 sq mi)
Population296 (2021)
• Density60/km2 (160/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTF950214
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townDEREHAM
Postcode districtNR20
Dialling code01362
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
Websitehttp://www.brisleyvillage.co.uk/
List of places
UK
England
Norfolk
52°45′18″N 0°53′17″E / 52.75501°N 0.88813°E / 52.75501; 0.88813

Brisley is located 5.7 miles (9.2 km) north of Dereham and 19 miles (31 km) north-west of Norwich.

History

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Brisley's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for a glade or clearing with a multitude of gadflies.[1]

Brisley is not mentioned in the Domesday Book.[2]

There are numerous listed buildings in Brisley including Walnut House (Seventeenth Century),[3] Chesham House (c.1800)[4] with an attached carriage gate and railings,[5] Rose Cottage (Seventeenth Century),[6] Brisley Hall (Seventeenth Century)[7] and the Church Bungalows (Nineteenth Century).[8]

In 1898, a Methodist Chapel was built in Brisley. Today it has been converted into a private dwelling.[9]

In 1942, a Bristol Blenheim of No. 84 Squadron RAF crashed in the village pond after a raid on Cologne during the Operation Millenium. All three crewmembers were killed (P/O John Rappsloe, Sgt. Michael Beaufort and Sgt. Leslie Harrowell) and a small memorial was erected in their honour.[10]

Geography

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According to the 2021 census, Brisley has a population of 296 people which shows a slight increase from the 281 people recorded in the 2011 census.[11]

The junction between the B1145, between King's Lynn and Mundesley, and the B1146, between Fakenham and Dereham, is located in the village.

Amenities within the village include The Brisly Bell, a pub, restaurant and inn.[12]

St. Bartholomew's Church

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Brisley's parish church is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew and is located on Church Street, it dates at its earliest from the Fifteenth Century.[13] St. Bartholomew's was built in the perpendicular gothic style and still features ecclesiastical wall paintings of Saint Andrew and Saint Christopher. The church also boasts a set of royal arms from the reign of King George II and a stained-glass depiction of the crucifixion of Christ designed by Charles Clutterbuck. The crypt of the church was used as a holding cell for prisoners on their way to Norwich.[14]

Notable Residents

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Sports

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Brisley has a functioning cricket club who play home games on the village green. They have a men's and women's team as of 2022.[15]

Governance

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Brisley is part of the electoral ward of Upper Wensum for local elections and is part of the district of Breckland.

The village's national constituency is Mid Norfolk which has been represented by the Conservative's George Freeman since 2010.

War Memorial

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Brisley's war memorial is a granite stone cross located in St. Bartholomew's Churchyard. It lists the following names for the First World War:[16]

Rank Name Unit Date of Death Other Commemoration / Burial
Sgt. Albert J. Moore 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment 23 Apr. 1917 Arras Memorial
AS Ernest G. Howling 2nd (Hawke) Battalion, Royal Naval Division 3 Jun. 1918 Niederzwehren Cemetery
Cpl. John R. Claxton 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment 3 May 1917 Arras Memorial
Cpl. George King 8th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment 1 Aug. 1917 Menin Gate
Pte. James V. Dawson 3rd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment 5 Nov. 1918 St. Bartholomew's Churchyard, Brisley
Pte. Elijah H. George 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment 26 Apr. 1918 Brandhoek New Military Cemetery
Pte. Herbert C. Basham 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers 9 Mar. 1918 Hooge Crater Cemetery
Pte. Frederick W. Moore 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment 3 May 1916 Kirkee War Cemetery
Pte. Bertie J. Doy 7th Battalion, Norfolk Rgt. 18 Oct. 1916 St. Bartholomew's Churchyard, Brisley
Pte. Matthew E. Howling 9th Battalion, Norfolk Rgt. 15 Sep. 1916 Thiepval Memorial
Pte. Percy E. King 9th Bn., Norfolk Rgt. 26 Sep. 1915 Loos Memorial
Pte. Bertie R. Reeve 9th Bn., Norfolk Rgt. 6 Jul. 1918 Southern Cemetery, Cologne
Rfn. Charles Gould 8th (Post Office Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment 29 Oct. 1918 Communal Cemetery, Tournai

And, the following for the Second World War:

Rank Name Unit Date of Death Other Commemoration / Burial
Sgt. Geoffrey Green No. 70 Squadron RAF 18 Nov. 1940 War Cemetery, Belgrade
A1C Isaac T. Williamson Royal Air Force 2 Jun. 1943 War Cemetery, Ambon
Dvr. Ronald P. Philipo Royal Army Service Corps 18 Oct. 1944 War Cemetery, Caserta

References

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  1. ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  2. ^ "All places | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. ^ "WALNUT HOUSE, Brisley - 1304906 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. ^ "CHESHAM HOUSE, Brisley - 1342484 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  5. ^ "PAIR OF GATES AND RAILINGS TO CHESHAM HOUSE, Brisley - 1077463 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  6. ^ "ROSE COTTAGE, Brisley - 1152263 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. ^ "BRISLEY HALL, Brisley - 1342482 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ "CHURCH BUNGALOWS, Brisley - 1342483 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  9. ^ GENUKI. "Genuki: House, Brisley, Primitive Methodist, Norfolk". www.genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  10. ^ "mnf46398 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Brisley (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Norfolk Country Pub | The Award-Winning Brisley Bell". The Brisley Bell. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  13. ^ "CHURCH OF ST BARTHOLOMEW, Brisley - 1077461 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Brisley CC". brisley.play-cricket.com. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Geograph:: Bodham to Bylaugh :: War Memorials in Norfolk". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2024.