St Mary's Church, Eastwell

St Mary's Church, Eastwell
The ruins of St Mary's Church, Eastwell The ruins of St Mary's Church, Eastwell
St Mary's Church, Eastwell Location in Kent
OS grid reference	TR 010 473
Location	Eastwell, Kent
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Friends of Friendless Churches
Architecture
Functional status	Ruin
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	27 November 1957
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Groundbreaking	15th century
Completed	19th century
Specifications
Materials	Tower flint, chapel chalk

St Mary's Church consists of the ruins of a former Anglican parish church, located in the grounds of Eastwell Park in the hamlet of Eastwell, Kent, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building, and has been under the care of the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches, since 1980. The charity holds the freehold with effect from 20 March 1980. The ruins are a Scheduled Monument.

History

In 1951 the roof of the nave collapsed, and the remaining shell of the church was demolished in 1956, leaving only the footings, the tower, and the 19th-century mortuary chapel.

Architecture

All that now remains are the tower and the wall of the south aisle, dating from the 15th century, and a mortuary chapel from the 19th century. The ruins of the tower and aisle wall are constructed in flint and plaster with stone quoins. The tower is supported by three-stage buttresses and it has a doorway with a string course above. In the tower is a two-light Perpendicular window. The bell openings date from the 18th century and they also have two lights. The summit of the tower is battlemented. On the lower stage of the tower is a mutilated consecration cross in knapped flint. The blocked arch to the former nave has octagonal piers. In the aisle wall are two two-light windows. The chapel is constructed in chalk with a tiled roof. It has lancet windows and its interior is vaulted.

In the former chancel of the church is a memorial to Richard Plantagenet, who is rumoured to have been the son of Richard III.

Monuments

The internal fittings and monuments have all been removed. Most of the monuments are in the care of the Victoria and Albert Museum. These include two chest tombs, one to the memory of Sir Thomas Finch who died in 1580, and the other to Sir Moyle Finch who died in 1614. Another memorial in the Victoria and Albert Museum is to Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea.

Churchyard

George Finch-Hatton, 11th Earl of Winchilsea (1815–1887), his second wife Lady Elizabeth Georgiana (d. 1904, daughter of Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham) as well as his only son George William Finch-Hatton, Viscount Maidstone (1852–1879) are buried in a simple grave in the overgrown part of the church cemetery.