ST MARY'S CHIDDINGSTONE
The church of St. Mary’s in Chiddingstone is a 3-D history text. First, there is the fabric of the church itself. By examining it you can see the history of its construction. There are signs of 13 Century walling but most of it dates from the 14th and 15th century. A fire caused much damage in 1624 and in the years since there have been continual repairs. An interesting document from 1738 shows which parishioners are responsible for the upkeep of different parts of the Church. There are 16 stained glass windows each with its own story.
Second, there are the contents of the church. Inside the church there are plenty of memorials - wall plaques, tombs and floor slabs – each one recording the death or burial of a family member . Nine hatchments showing the coats of arms of the deceased line the South Aisle. There is a peal of eight bells in the tower, each inscribed and dated. They all have traditional wheels and modern clappers. The number eight bell is also used for the church clock.
Third, there is the written material in the church. One framed scroll shows the rectors of the parish, another the names of those who served in the Great War. Last but not least is the huge oak chest where the parish registers are stored – or were stored before they were taken for conservation in the County archive at Maidstone.
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