CRANBROOK CHURCH

Kent

The solid and dominating church of St. Dunstan is sometimes called “The Cathedral of the Weald”. It is larger than some actual Cathedrals and is a very attractive structure.

The exact date of its construction is unclear but most of what remains today is from the early 1400s. The porch is slightly older. The tower, which is 74 feet high and strongly crenellated, dates to 1425 and would tend to imply it was the final phase of a full scale rebuild of the church.

Above the porch is a parvise (a priest’s room) which was used as a prison during Mary I’s reign. Much of the interior of the church dates from immediately after the Reformation. From 1710 there is a massive stone tank accessed by steps which was constructed for the Anabaptists who thrived in the area (baptism for them involves total immersion).

The tower contains the prototype for the clock in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament and on the outside of the tower is a sculpture of Old Father Time who, according to legend, visits the churchyard every night and keeps the grass mowed with his scythe.

Photo - Andrew J. Müller

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© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions and Andrew J. Müller, Roy Barton
and Shaun Runham
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller
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2010