Holy Trinity, Charing Heath, Kent

Holy Trinity, Charing Heath Church

Image Source: Rob Baker

Consecrated in 1872 as a chapel-of-ease to Charing's parish church of Ss. Peter and Paul; the building began life in 1861 as an infant school serving the new but scattered villages of Charing Heath and Lenham Heath, before a new school was built on the plot of land immediately behind the church.The building was extended eastwards in 1869 with the construction of the small apsidal chancel and bellcote.The ecclesiastical parish of Holy Trinity, Charing Heath, was created in 1874. The building of both school and church came through the donations of gifts and money from the Sayer family of Pett Place in Charing. Their memorial cross stands in the front of the churchyard together with the graves of the family members. The three stained-glass lancet windows in the chancel were given in memory of Charlotte Sayer, who more than anyone else ensured that this small Victorian church came into existence. The Sayer family also provided the majority of the furnishings; with the altar frontal and pulpit fall being given in the 1920s. The wooden pulpit dates from 1933 was made by local church sidesman Frank Howland, who was a wheelwright by trade. The little electric organ was installed in 1996. It has been placed in a curious recess area on the north side of the church which presumably had some architectural significance when the building was a schoolhouse. The runner for the altar steps on which parishioners kneel when receiving Holy Communion was designed in 1999 to commemorate the Millennium. It was designed by Joan Pettengell and stitched by members of the church congregation. At the west end of the church is a rickety little wooden gallery, which today appears to be the area of the church where the local bat population appears to thrive. The expression "bats in the belfry" is very appropriate for this small, rural, Victorian church! Text by Rob Baker

1851 Census Details

Seating Capacity: Not built

Morning Attendance: Not built

Afternoon Attendance: Not built

Evening Attendance: Not built

Architecture Details

Original Build Date/Architect: 1872

Restoration:

Second Restoration:

Notes

Website

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