All Saints Church, West Farleigh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, West Farleigh
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Location	West Farleigh, Kent
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	[1]
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	23 May 1967
Completed	Late 11th or 12th century, 15th and 19th centuries
Administration
Deanery	Malling
Archdeaconry	Tonbridge
Diocese	Rochester
Province	Canterbury

All Saints Church is an old church located in West Farleigh, Kent, England. It was first started way back in the 11th century. This church is a very important historical building, known as a Grade I listed building. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England.

A Look at the Church Building

This church was first built a very long time ago, either in the late 11th century or the 12th century. More parts were added in the 15th century. The church was also repaired and updated in 1875.

The church is mostly made from a type of stone called rag-stone. Some parts of the walls are covered with a rough plaster called pebbledash. The roofs are made of flat tiles.

Main Parts of the Church

The oldest parts of the church are the nave (the main area where people sit) and the chancel (the area near the altar).

• The north side of the nave has two windows from the 15th century. It also has a small window high up near the roof.
• The south side has a tall, narrow window called a lancet window. There's also a larger window from the 19th century with fancy stone patterns called tracery.
• On the south side, there's a glass porch with a sloped roof, added in the 19th century. The main entrance door into the nave is from the 15th century.

The chancel has two windows with tracery on its north and south sides. The east wall has three small, round-headed windows. An organ room was added to the south side of the chancel in the 19th century.

The West Tower

The church has a tall tower on its west side, built in the 15th century. It has two main sections and a stone base. At the top, there's a battlement (a wall with gaps, like a castle).

• Each of the three outer sides of the tower has a single opening for bells. These openings have a special three-leaf shape called a trefoil.
• A taller staircase tower is attached to the north-east corner. This stair tower also has battlements and gargoyles, which are carved stone figures that often act as waterspouts.

Inside the Church

Inside, the arches that connect the nave to the chancel and the nave to the tower are round-headed. They rest on columns made of a light, porous rock called tufa.

• The roofs of the nave and chancel have strong wooden beams. The nave has three decorative beams, while the chancel has plain ones.
• You can find piscinae (small basins used for washing sacred vessels) in the south-east corner of the nave and under a south window in the chancel.
• The baptismal font (a basin used for baptisms) is from the 17th century. It has eight sides and is made of a special type of marble called Bethersden marble.
• An old church bench from the 18th century has a decorative band of carved panels.

The church also has special plaques and monuments inside. These remember people like Edward Lawrence (who died in 1605) and Augustine Skynner (who died in 1672). The churchyard outside also has many old monuments that are listed as Grade II historical items.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in Maidstone