The Porchway and Entrance © PE Blanche 2002 The Nave and Chancel © PE Blanche 2002

This is a lovely little Church which is tucked away down a small lane away from the main road and rather difficult to find, especially when I'd managed to leave my large scale map at home! As it transpired and as I think I've already mentioned on another page, when I reached this Church, the first of at least four in South West Kent that I wanted to visit that day, I discovered that my flashgun for my larger camera was deceased! Obviously, these churches that were built to hold as many as two to three hundred people cannot be easily photographed with an "instamatic" sized flash. I have done my best with what natural light was available. The Church has an attractive spire which was totally rebuilt in 1902 has some huge timber work supporting it but I was unable to take pictures as it was at the darker end of the Church. In 1902 the spire was actually 30 inches (in old money) out of perpendicular. At the other end of the Church, the South east buttress was settling away from the main building but starting to take some of the walls with it. Most of these Marsh churches are built on mounds to raise them from the surrounding low lying land. The "downside" as I see it, is that if there is subsequently settlement then it is bound to pull the walls outwards (although I'm no engineer). Because this Church was so extensively renovated, firstly in 1876 and again in 1902, the Church guide states that these restorations have "robbed the interior of much of its interest". However, there are things of interest here and the most immediate thing is the porchway or entrance to the Church which was constructed in the 15th Century. This is very early as the majority of church porches were added by the Victorians. There was a Norman Church here in 1180 and there is still a small amount of Norman brickwork visible. The major parts of the building that we see today probably dates from the 13th and 14th Century with subsequent improvements and additions. It is the only Church in England that is solely dedicated to the Saxon Saint, Eanswith. For more information on the interior of the Church see the next page.