Steeple Bumpstead, despite its name, has a parish church, St Mary’s, that lacks a steeple. One theory suggests its steeple was destroyed, similar to how Marks Tey's St Andrew's church acquired a timber tower after its original steeple was used for gunnery practice in 1648. Another explanation posits a linguistic origin, suggesting the village was originally "Bumstede ad Turrim" meaning "Bumpstead at the Tower," with "Steeple" added later to differentiate it from Helions Bumpstead. However, a more whimsical tale involves an angry wizard who conjured a powerful snowstorm. Elizabeth Fleming's 1930s poem vividly describes this blizzard, which caused chaos and destruction throughout the village. During the storm's abrupt departure, the villagers discovered their beloved, tall, and stately steeple had vanished, reduced to a heap of rubbish. Even the weather-cock was gone, leaving the village without a way to tell wind direction. This magical explanation suggests the wizard's anger was responsible for Steeple Bumpstead's missing steeple.