Detling - The Church of St. Martin of Tours

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

The niche over the doorway at St. Martin's Church, Detling. © PE Blanche 2000

I have already mentioned the number of churches that are locked these days and again, this is one of them. It's very frustrating to be faced by a heavy wrought-iron gate that just won't budge but then I can see the reasonings behind it and therefore, despite the frustrations of not being able to get into the church, find it difficult to complain. It usually means that the only way to get pictures of the interior of these churches is to return on a Sunday when the particular church is open for worship.

St. Martin of Tours Church is in a lovely location at the end of the Village which is located at the bottom of Detling Hill. Over the doorway at the entrance to the Church was a small niche in which stands a figure with a shepherd's crook which I assume to be St. Martin of Tours. At one time this Church was on the main Pilgrim's Way from Winchester to Canterbury and would have been a regular stopping point for the pilgrims before they started the climb up Detling Hill towards Canterbury. The Church has traces of its original Norman structure in the walls but most of what can been seen today is Early English.

There were three things I wanted to see inside the Church, one was an old wall carving, another was the alms Chest, carved from a solid piece of Kent oak and the other was a 14th Century oak lectern which is extremely unusual. It is said to be beautifully carved but seeing it will obviously have to wait for another day.