Gissing, Norfolk

History

Gissing's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Gyssa's or Gyssi's people.

In the Domesday Book, Gissing is listed as a settlement of 55 households in the hundred of Diss. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of King William, Robert Malet, Roger Bigod and the Abbey of St. Edmund.

Gissing Hall, a 15th century mansion house, is located in the parish. Today the hall operates as a hotel and restaurant.

During the Second World War, a pillbox and searchlight battery were built in Gissing to defend against a possible German invasion.

On 29 January 1944, two Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the United States Army Air Force collided in mid-air above Gissing whilst assembling for a strategic bombing raid on Frankfurt. A total of 14 aviators were killed in the collision.

Geography

According to the 2021 census, Gissing has a total population of 257 people which demonstrates an increase from the 252 people listed in the 2011 census.

St. Mary's Church

Gissing's parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary and is one of Norfolk's 124 remaining round-tower churches, dating from the Eleventh Century. St. Mary's is located within the village on Lower Street and has been Grade I listed since 1959. The church holds church services twice a month and is the focus for an active Friends of Gissing Church who fundraise for maintenance projects on the building.

St. Mary's holds an elaborate mausoleum to the Kemp family and several marble monuments inside.

Governance

Gissing is an electoral ward for local elections and is part of the district of South Norfolk.

The village's national constituency is Waveney Valley which has been represented by the Green Party's Adrian Ramsay since 2024.

War Memorial

Gissing's war memorial takes the form of a rough-hewn Celtic cross with a sword of sacrifice and is located just outside of St. Mary's Churchyard. The fundraising for the memorial was completed by a committee led by the Reverend W.E.S. Cooper with the plot being donated by the Sir Kenneth H. Kemp. The memorial was unveiled on 7 March 1920 by Sir Kenneth Kemp and John Bowers, Bishop of Thetford. The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:

The following name was added after the Second World War:

References

References

1. "Key to English Place-names".
2. "Gissing {{!}} Domesday Book".
3. "MNF10942 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer".
4. "MNF18475 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer".
5. Ranter, Harro. "Mid-air collision Accident Consolidated B-24J Liberator 42-100005, Saturday 29 January 1944".
6. "Gissing (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location".
7. "CHURCH OF ST MARY, Gissing - 1152891 {{!}} Historic England".
8. "Gissing".
9. "Friends of Gissing Church".
10. "Norfolk Churches".
11. "Gissing War Memorial, Gissing - 1444292 {{!}} Historic England".