Tower

The tower contains a peal of eight bells recast in 1955, and replacing the 1896 octave, six of which dated back to 1723. Records show that Deane had bells as far back as the Dissolution. More information about the bells can be reached in a different part of this website.

In the eastern wall of the tower, just under the pitch of the original roof, is a Norman window. Such an opening is not uncommon in old churches. The upper storey of the tower was used as a dwelling-place sometimes by the priest, but more often by the sacristan, part of whose duty was to guard the church's treasures. From the window the guardian would command a view of the sanctuary.

Access to the upper storey was sometimes by means of a winding stairway built into the wall of the tower, but more often by means of a ladder. It is possible that at Deane the upper room was reached - part way at least - by the same stone steps built into the tower wall in the south-east corner and which were removed at the close of the 19th century.