Blean - The Church of SS. Cosmus & Damian in the Blean

The Church from the Northwest © P.E. Blanche 2000

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The Chancel from the Nave © PE Blanche 2000

The Font © P.E. Blanche 2000

This Church is set in the middle of farm land, quite some distance from the nearest houses and a considerable walk from the main Canterbury to Whitstable road. What appears rather remarkable to me is that it is such a small Church given the number of square miles that makes up this rather unusual parish. In my summary about Blean I consulted the maps I have and came up with a rough guess at about fifty square miles although I admit that some of the parishes that lie on the edge of the original forest area may have decreased this size. In a very brief guide I obtained in Blean, the suggestion is made that the Forest of Blean covered about twenty-one square miles but without getting in any conflict, I suspect that their North South measurement is a little short. Whatever number is correct, I still come back to the fact that this is an extremely small Church for any parish especially when consideration is made for the fact that the North Aisle (the section on the left in the above picture) was only added in the 1860's. Prior to that, it just consisted on the Nave and Chancel.

Just recently, the Church has been undergoing a considerable amount of restoration which is evident by the rather clinical looking white walls. However, it does give this small Church a light airy feeling and highlights the beautiful beams and crown-post roof. The Village and a Church is mentioned in The Doomsday Book although the present Church of typical East Kent flint construction dates from the 13th Century. The glass is fairly modern and was added in the 19th and 20th Century.

The unusual name of St. Cosmus and St. Damian apparently derives from two Arabian Doctors who converted to Christianity in the late third century.

The Church does publish a guide and history but when I visited it, they had no copies available so I shall perhaps add more to this page when I can revisit the Church and obtain a copy.