The unusual thing about St. Nicholas' is that it is still known locally as "The Leper Church" and was originally built by Lanfranc in 1084 as the Chapel for the Leper Hospital located there. The Chapel was enlarged to its present size in the fourteenth century. Like so many other churches has to be locked these days but inside floor of the body of the church slopes East to West. This is meant to be so that the floor could be washed down after the services for the lepers and seems a perfectly reasonable explanation to me. Apparently, many of the Priests at the Church were also lepers or perhaps became that way because of their work at a time when the disease was endemic in England. There was also a hospital for the lepers opposite the church at one time but with the decline of leprosy in England, the buildings were demolished and the present almshouses here are actually of Victorian construction.

The area where the Chapel and the Almshouses are located is entered though a Tudor gateway. Inside the gateway, the notice on the left-hand side appears. It states most of the things I have already mentioned but because the image is small I will repeat it for those that are interested:

This ancient Hospital of St. Nicholas Harbledown was founded by Archbishop Lanfranc c.1084 for the relief of Lepers.
On the disappearance of Leprosy from England Lanfranc's foundation gradually developed into the Almshouses of today.
The main door of the Church is kept locked for security reasons but the interior can be seen by appointment with the Sub Prior.
Visitors are invited to walk in the grounds of the Hospital.

Up until quite recently, this Chapel and Hospital was on the main road from London to Canterbury and has had many famous visitors, including Edward II and The Black Prince (who is said to have had a mild form of leprosy himself). Since the development of the A2 road and Canterbury By-pass, this part of Harbledown has thankfully been left in peace. The lack of the constant noise of traffic thundering through this village has added greatly to its charm.

See also:	The Village of Harbledown
	The Black Prince's Well