BRANDISTON •••  Brant’s Tun. - According to Dr. Ekwall, the place-names expert, this was the TUN or settlement of a local leader named Brant, some time in the Dark Ages. I was sorry to find that the little church of St. Nicholas, now, sadly, redundant, does not feature in the main list of Norfolk Churches in W.A.
Dutt's "Norfolk" guide. It is relegated to the section on "Churches of Minor Interest", along with several in our locality, including Haveringland, Felthorpe, Great Witchingham and others.

White's 1845 Directory of Norfolk deals with Brandiston more kindly; it tells of recent "thorough repairs" to the church, and also mentions a former church, dedicated to St. Swithin, which one stood in the same churchyard.

This directory refers to the short, round tower, which gives the building a squat appearance. For most of the year the church is concealed by the foliage on the trees which surround it; only in winter can the grey walls be seen by passers by, still half hidden by the bare branches. Many cyclists on the annual sponsored ride must have missed Brandiston, for only those equipped with a map are likely to discover it.

Nearby are Church Farm, the Hall with its lovely gardens, and the Hall Cottages beyond, forming a community in this remote corner of Norfolk, with its own character, its own beauty, and its own share of history. Although the road leading in from Gibbs ­ Palmers is blessed with a few ageing "cats' eyes", the other approaches are narrow byways, with the odd tuft of grass growing down the middle - a feature which intrigued our American visitors last year!

The lane which leads from Barn Cottages wind between high banks in places, where violets and other wild flowers abound. In one spot there is a lovely patch of blue dwarf periwinkle - "Vinca Minor" if you buy it at. the Garden Centre! This is a reminder of the cottage gardens that bordered this little road long ago.

Nearer the Hall this road is often flooded in winter, as we found it one January day. After a morning of freezing fog the sun came out, and as we man-handled our bikes along the muddy verge to avoid the water we spotted a grey squirrel high above us. It was hurrying back and forth among the top branches of the trees in the Hall grounds - a cheering sight on a wintry day, and surely in. keeping with that peaceful locality.

John Kett.

From the Parish magazine September 1989.