St Mary and St Eanswythe's Church, Folkestone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church, Folkestone |
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View from the west
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| 51°4′46″N 1°10′54″E / 51.07944°N 1.18167°E | |
| OS grid reference | TR 229 359 |
| Location | Folkestone |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://stmaryandsteanswythe.org/ |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 5 December 1949 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Elham Deanery |
| Diocese | Diocese of Canterbury |
St Mary and St Eanswythe's Church is an old and important Anglican church in Folkestone, Kent. It is located near the cliffs that look out over the English Channel. Some parts of the church building are from the 13th century, but most of it was rebuilt in the 1800s. It is special because it has a tower in the middle of the church. This church is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is historically important.
Contents
Who was St Eanswythe?
St Eanswythe was an Anglo-Saxon princess. She was the granddaughter of King Æthelberht of Kent, who was one of the first English kings to become a Christian. Her father was King Eadbald of Kent, who ruled from 616 to 640.
The Life of St Eanswythe
Eanswythe was born around the year 630. People believe she was the leader, or abbess, of a nunnery right here in Folkestone. A nunnery is a place where nuns live and pray.
The Nunnery's History
The original nunnery was later destroyed. It might have fallen into the sea, or it could have been attacked by Vikings in 867. After this, a new monastery was built in 1138. It was called Folkestone Priory.
This new monastery had a church dedicated to both St Mary and St Eanswythe. This church was the beginning of the building we see today. On September 12, 1138, the bones of St Eanswythe were brought into the church.
The church was damaged by a fire in 1216. It was repaired in 1220 and made bigger in 1236.
Changes in the 1800s and Beyond
Even after many changes, you can still see parts of the older church building. The arches in the chancel (the area around the altar) are from the 13th century. The lady chapel (north of the chancel) and St Eanswythe's chapel (south of the chancel) are from the 15th century. The arches of the tower are also from the 15th century.
Major Rebuilding Work
A lot of the church was rebuilt when Canon Matthew Woodward was the vicar. He was in charge of the church from 1851 to 1898. The main part of the church, called the nave, and the north aisle were rebuilt by R. C. Hussey in the 1850s.
The large window at the west end and the entrance porch were added by Stallwood in 1872. The south chancel aisle and transept (the arms of the cross-shaped church) were rebuilt in 1869. The south aisle was rebuilt in 1974. The beautiful windows near the altar and in the Lady Chapel were made by C. E. Kempe.
Finding St Eanswythe's Relics
In 1885, during renovations, something amazing was found! Workers discovered a reliquary in a hidden spot in the walls near the altar. A reliquary is a container for holy relics, like bones of a saint.
The way it was decorated showed it was from the 12th century. Inside, there were the bones of a young woman who had died in the 7th century. Because of where it was found, people believed these were the remains of St Eanswythe.
The bones were placed back in the same spot. A brass door and a grille were put over the niche. In early 2020, scientists looked at the bones again. They confirmed that they almost certainly belonged to St Eanswythe.
The Church Organ
We know that the church had an organ as early as 1528. It was rebuilt several times in the 1800s. We don't know much about its history before that.
The organ used today was built in 1894 by William Hill & Sons of London. It was in the south transept. In 1930, it was rebuilt and made bigger by Hill, Norman & Beard. It now has 39 stops, which are like different sets of pipes that make various sounds.
The Churchyard and Burials
In December 2023, something special happened regarding the churchyard. King Charles III gave permission for a local boy, William Brown, to be buried there. William had sadly passed away in an accident.
Usually, this churchyard is closed to new burials. However, a special order, called a 'burial ground variation order,' was approved by the Privy Council. This order allows burials in churchyards that were previously closed.
