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It is thought that the foundations of this church date from 1042. The church was granted to the Abbot of West Langdon in 1172 and the first vicar was appointed in 1499. In 1537 the church was given to the Archbishop of Canterbury; 6 years later came the plague epidemic, which lasted, although less severely, for the next 3 years. This church has many lovely old features, and generally felt ancient, which may be due to the bare décor and few adaptions.
http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=16785.0
Parish Church. C12 origin, now largely C13, restored 1866, 1868-9 and 1899. Flint with plain tiled roof. Chancel, nave with west tower and south porch. Single stage tower, the top stage removed after C16 earth-quake damage, with clasping buttresses and brick eaves cornice to low tiled spire, and blocked belfry windows. Small single lights on ground floor with trefoil heads carved from single block, C13 south porch with chamfered outer door and roll moulded inner doorway with attached shafts, and medieval ogee-shaped door. Chancel stepped in from nave, with corner buttresses to nave and chancel. East wall rebuilt Cl9.
Lancets throughout. Interior: C19 chamfered doorway to tower. Blocked stop-chamfered north doorway, tall and narrow. Two chamfered. elliptical
recesses in north wall, the easternmost with a low window inset, and 2 on south wall, with crude enrichment of figures, flower ornament, attached shafts and cusping; utilised or intended as tomb recesses for the Monyns family. Blocked and truncated semi-circular arch in extreme south east of nave with small round-headed lancet on east wall C19 trussed rafter roof. Chancel arch of 1866, and C19 chancel roof. Two hollow chamfered elliptical recesses on south wall, integral with double sedilia. Simple trefoiled piscina in chancel. Fittings all C19.
PLEASE NOTE: We have a joint service with St Peter and St Paul in Temple Ewell. For details on services please contact Revd Ian Parrish or John Glass (Churchwarden)
Church Lane
Lydden
CT157JP
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