Kent Holiday June 2012 - Tour of the Medieval Churches of Romney Marsh

Went on a tour of the Medieval Churches of Romney Marsh - in an area of less than 10 miles by 10 miles there are 14 complete churches, and the ruins of 3 ruined churches.  Here's a taster of the exterior and interior architecture of the ones which were open.  The most unusual ones are Fairfield - which is situated in the middle of the marshes and has white box pews, and Old Romney - which has pale pink box pews and a minstrel's gallery. East Guldeford has angels painted on the walls. Newchurch has a leaning tower. At Fairfield because of the isolated location the church was locked and I had to fetch a huge key from nearby house, and walk amongst the sheep and waterways to reach the church.  For me this was Romney Marsh at its absolute best, such an atmospheric place in miles of open marshland.   Also saw 2 lookers huts - former dwellings of the Romney Marsh lookers, the men who tended the flocks of Romney sheep .

Dymchurch  (Norman)

Newchurch - leaning tower (15th century)

interior of Newchurch

St Mary in the Marsh (mid 12th century)

Looker's hut

East Guldeford - the only one made of brick, and the only one standing in Sussex not Kent (1505)

interior of E Guldeford  - frieze of angels (19th century)

Fairfield - until 1960's often cut off by winter flooding, when it could only be reached by boat

 

interior of Fairfield (18th century)

Ivychurch (15th century)

inerior of Ivychurch

Brenzett (late 12th century)

Old Romney (mid 12th century)

interior of Old Romney (18th century)