"The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is small, consisting of a body and north isle, and two chancels, having a square tower, with battlements at the west end. In the high chancel, near the altar rails, is a memorial for Thomas Walton, thirty-seven years rector of this church, obt. 1698. Another for John Thompson, rector, who left one daughter, married to John Farnaby, son of the learned Farnaby, obt. 1661; arms, Two bars, a chief, ermine, impaling a chevron, between three balls. Within the altar rails, a memorial for Edward Monyns, second son of John Monyns, gent. and Mary his wife, obt. 1647. A marble tablet for John Minet, A. M. rector of this church, obt. 1771; arms, Erminois, quartering barry of six, argent and gules. Another tablet for Francis D'Aeth, rector of this church, youngest son of Sir Thomas D'Aeth, bart. obt. 1784; arms, D'Aeth. A memorial for William Forster, A. M. of Cambridge, son of Robert Forster, gent. of Acrise, pastor of this church for eleven years, obt. 1708. In one of the south windows, Azure, a bend cotized, between six shields, sable, each charged with a lion, rampant, or. In the east window of the other chancel, called the Elmton chancel, belonging to that estate, is a shield, Azure, a saltier engrailed, between four bears heads, erased, sable, muzzled of the field. The arms of Guldeford were formerly likewise in the windows of this church. In the last-mentioned chancel are several memorials for the Botelers, of this parish. A mural monument for John Harvey, esq. of Dane-court, obt. 1759, and Margaret his wife; arms, Harvey, impaling argent, three bars gemelles, sable, over all a lion rampant, gules, for Maud; and another for Richard Harvey, of Dane court, obt. 1732. He had five sons and four daughters, by four wives. Near the west door is a memorial for John Ruffin, gent. of Rainham, obt. 1661.
This church was esteemed as a vicarage, in archbishop Langton's time, who came to the see in the 8th year of king John, as appears by an ordination of that archbishop, concerning a pension of three marcs to be paid yearly to the vicar of it by the nuns of Harwood, in Bedfordshire.
Archbishop Meopham, in the beginning of king Edward III.'s reign, made a decree, concerning the vicarage of this church, and as such it was esteemed in the 8th year of king Richard II. when it was valued only at four pounds, and as such with other small benefices, was not taxed to the tenth. But notwithstanding the above, this church has been for a great length of time accounted a rectory, most probably so at first on a vacancy of the vicarage, on a petition of the vicar of it to the archbishop, and it appears to have been so ac counted in the 26th year of king Henry VIII.'s reign, when it was valued in the king's books as a rectory, of the yearly value of 15l. 12s. 6d. and the yearly tenths at 1l. 11s. 6d. There are seven acres of glebe land.
In 1588 here were seventy-six communicants. In 1640 here were eighty communicants, and it was valued at one hundred pounds.
The patronage of this church has been for many years the property of the owners of Elmington manor, and the owners of Waldershare manor adjoining alternately, and as such is now the joint property of David Papillon, esq. of Acrise, and the right hon. the earl of Guildford, who present alternately to it."
SOURCE - (
visit link)