Chilham - St. Mary's Church

St. Mary's Church from the Southwest © P.E. Blanche 2000

The font at St. Mary's Church, Chilham. © PE Blanche 2000

The Nave and Chancel, St. Mary's Church, Chilham. © P.E. Blanche 2000

I have little doubt that there was a Church in Chilham long before the present structure which was started in the 13th and 14th Century but mainly constructed in the 15th Century. In the Syms series of books on Kent Churches his drawing of the Church still shows the large Yew tree which used to obscure the view from the South (also mentioned in Mee's Kent). I noted as I passed it by that it was blown down in the hurricane of 1987 and although sprigs are showing, it unlikely to grow to its former glory. Although slightly in shadow, you can see the remaining part of the tree between the War Memorial and the base of the tower.

The 15th Century tower is chequered with flint and local stone and also contains some Roman bricks or tiles but this is not unusual for many churches in East Kent. The Church was used as the school for local children for many years and the trestle table that they used still survives with the earliest carving by one of the students dated at 1753. This now stands near the entrance which is through the base of the Tower although originally, the school room was over the South Porch.

St. Mary's is a large country church and with the number and size of its monuments, gives the feeling of opulence. Hardly surprising when across the opposite side of the Village square, stands Chilham Castle, owned at different times by the Digges family, the Hardy family and more recently by Viscount Massereene and Ferrard. Most of the east end of the Church was torn down in the 19th Century and reconstructed by Charles Hardy in 1863/4.

The East Window dated 1864 © P.E. Blanche

Additional information about the Church monuments will be added later.