Whissendine Village
Recorded as
Wichingedene in the 11th century Domesday Book
Whissendine’s name reveals its Anglo-Saxon origins. It refers to
the “Wisingas” who lived in a stream valley (dene).
Whissendine Brook still runs through the middle of the village.
In the last
50 years Whissendine has grown in size but there is still much to
remind us of the medieval village nestled alongside the
Whissendine Brook.
Whissendine
Mill, which is still a prominent landmark, was built in the early
1800s and has a six floor tower is said to be the second tallest
in Britain.
The sails
were damaged by a storm in 1922 and the mill stood derelict for
nearly 80 years. Nigel Moon bought it in 1995 and the process of
restoring it began. Today the handcrafted wooden machinery is
again turning large millstones. With the restoration of the sails
wheat will once more be ground by wind power.
The village
was once famous for the production of a soft cheese called
Whissendine Slipcote. Made by Ann and William Fowler of Manor
Farm, it was much in demand by fashionable London clubs in the
late 19th century. By the end of World War 1 production
of it had ceased and the recipe itself has been lost.
The other dominant building in the
village is the Church of St. Andrews. Although a church is known
to have existed in the 12th century the present church was not
started until the 13th century. It was reconstructed and enlarged
in the 14th century, including the imposing tower.
There was a third large building in
Whissendine around the end of the 19th century, Whissendine
Brewery. At the end of the century this industrial building was
converted into a large dwelling house which can be seen today as
'the Red House' in the Nook. The village at one time had five
public houses of which two still remain.
One building you will not find in
the village is Whissendine Station. This is because when it did
exist it was more than a mile out of the village along Station
Road. The signal box nearby still exists to this day.
Businesses have come and gone and
will no doubt continue to do so in the future.
A walk around the village is
thoroughly recommended. There are many interesting buildings of
which 20 are Grade 1 or 2 listed.
