The Nave and Chancel © PE Blanche 2001 The Font at Nonington (Inset - bottom right, the date of 1662) © PE Blanche 2001 I was a little amused by an extract from the first page of the Church Guide which I purchased when I visited this Church which reads (and I quote): "Nothing of outstanding importance has been recorded, either of the church or parish. Despite the vulnerability to enemy action of the entire area during both world wars, Nonington suffered comparatively little, and the church remained unharmed." A modest statement about a pretty country Church. Not grand, not huge but well kept, tidy and obviously the centre of Village life for centuries. What more should this Church set out to achieve? The name of the Village is variously spelt as Nonington and Nonnington. I have used the former which appears in the Church guide. I rather suspect that there has been damage to the Church in the past because as soon as you enter the Church you are faced with a font to your left-hand side which clearly shows the date of 1662 on the front (see picture - bottom left). It's a guess on my part but given the date I would not be surprised if a more ornate font might have been destroyed during the Commonwealth period. The bulk of the Church is Early English and the Nave typically the roof of the Nave has tie-beams and king posts. As is also normal around these parts, the Church was renovated in Victorians times although a little later than some others in 1887. Perhaps this is why there are no additions of horrible tiles in the Chancel and the Church seems as if it has been virtually unchanged for many years apart perhaps from the lower pews. Details in Arthur Mee's "Kent" state that the Boys family once lived at the nearby estate of Fredville (believe it or not!) but I did not see any significant memorial to the family in the Church which does seem a little strange. However, for those who might have a connection to the Hammond, Plumptre and Oxenden families, tablets abound on the walls. The present organ, located in the North Aisle was a joint gift of Mr. C.J. Plumptre and Mr. W.O. Hammond in 1906. Under the organ lies the Plumptre family vault and under the Chancel lies the Hammond family vault which are both sealed. The last of the direct line of the Hammonds, 2nd Lieut. Douglas Wm. Hammond of the 2nd. Bn. The Buffs, The East Kent Regiment was killed at the Battle of Hooge at the age of eighteen and a half and is commemorated on a tablet in the Chancel and outside in the churchyard where there are two memorials to the men of the Village that fell in the 1st World War. One of these is in wood and stands under a yew just inside the entrance and rather curiously but very effectively, a second is carved into a Victorian buttress at the Southwest corner of the Church.

See also: additional information about Nonington Church