Brookland Church - Churches In Kent

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Brookland Church - Churches In Kent

Your first reaction on seeing St. Augustine Church at Brookland is to look again. What is that strange structure on the ground by the front of the church? Well its actually the bell tower. Because of the soft ground of Romney Marsh it was decided that the church would not take the weight of the tower so it was not built on top of the church but was constructed on the ground next to the church. The bell tower of St. Augustine at Brookland sits next to the church

The tower and church both date to about 1260 so the bell tower is believed to have always been on the ground. The distinct shape of the bell tower is likened to a candle snuffer and at one time the weatherboarding that covers it was covered with pitch to protect it from rotting.

The church is dedicated to St Augustine who was the first Archbishop of Canterbury. The link with Canterbury continues inside the church with part of a wall painting of Thomas a Beckett on the south wall, to the right of the alter, revealed during renovation in the 1960’s.

Inside the nave the arcade pillars that take the weight of the roof lean outwards at an almost alarming angle although the movement seems to have pretty much ceased with very little movement in the last 100 years.

The church is light and airy and still has the Georgian box pews, as a reminder of a bygone class system that extended even to the church. It still has the original stone flags on the floor which just seem to add to the originality and feel of the building.

The church contains a circular lead font which is said to be the most important of the 30 leaden fonts remaining in this country. It is thought to have been French in origin and is thought to be even older than the church itself. It is not recorded how it came to be in this small church in the middle of Romney Marsh.

Brookland Parish Council website www.brookland.org.uk

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