Chiddingstone I still consider my 'home village' as I was Christened here and spent happy years at the primary school under the tutelage of Miss Durrant, Mr & Mrs Sharp, Mr Greig and Mr Lyons among others.
I remember well buying penny chews at the village shop, being served by Miss Hardcastle.
My parents, Uncle, Aunt and cousins were married in St Mary's and my paternal grandparents and my father are buried in the graveyard.
I took these pictures on a visit with Alan and his mother, Vera to show them were I grew up.
This building may well be the third of fourth church on this site, although there is no structural evidence remaining from the Saxons or Normans. There are written records of a Saxon foundation in the Domesday of the Monks, 1086, kept at Canterbury. The earliest masonry is the random rubble facing on the exterior of the east wall of the chancel, where the remains of 13th century tripple lancet windows can be seen. Two pieces of wall which project into the nave from the west wall may indicate the limits of an earlier nave.
The plan of the church today is basically from the 14th century; this is the most likely date for the removal of the walls of the earlier church and the addition of the north and south aisles with arcades. The fine tower was built in the 15th century and has a stair turret running the complete height and is capped with four octagonal crocketed pinnacles.
The magnificent chandelier has always drawn my eye. It was given by Edward Tenison in 1726. It looks absolutely stunning when lit and makes the building look quite magical; although I am told is quite a beast to clean!
There are historical pictures of Chiddingstone Church in my postcard album.
The Kent Archaeological Society has interesting early pictures of this church, here.
Digital photographs
Visitors to this album since June 2003
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