St. Michael the Archangel, Smarden, Kent - Medieval Churches on Waymarking.com

The Parish Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
Smarden
Kent

Smarden is not named in the Domesday book of 1086 but was named in the Domesday Monachorum so it is believed a church existed then.
The first known Rector was Adam de Essex in 1294 but all trace of the original church has been lost.
In 1332 Edward III licensed Smarden, along with other local villages, to hold Fairs. It is thought that the Licence was granted partly because the village and grown and the belief is that this gave impetus to build a new church.
A large church was built, mainly from the local Bethersden marble, with a very wide nave, probably the widest in Kent. The roof is supported by a scissor beam having intersecting timbers. Because of the construction and as the nave is so wide no side aisles were added. Because of it’s wide nave with no intermediate supports the Smarden Church is commonly called “The Barn of Kent”
The first addition to the church, after the main body of the church had been built, was the Tower which is of the perpendicular style, popular in the 15th centuary. In 1464 William Marlar left 13s 4d for a new belfry and this may be the date of the tower.
There are six bells in the tower and these are still regularly rung.
One of the photographs shows details of the bells. The tenor is the largest at 18cwt 1qts 21lbs whilst the smallest is the Treble at 6cwt 0qts 5lbs.
The next addition to the church was a north porch. Although there is no date for this there is record that it needed new shingles in 1558.
In 1814 a schoolroom was added but this was later divided into two rooms, one part being the Rector’s Vestry and the other a boilerhouse.
This is basically the church as we know it today.
There have been many internal alterations and additions, too numerous to detail here, but they include changes to the pulpit, the installtion of pews and an organ.
Of note there is reference to a sundial in 1676 but by 1704 there was a church clock. This was replaced in 1715 and then again in 1948. In 1968 electric winding was installed to alleviate the need for winding three times a week as had been necessary with the previous clocks.
To date there have been 68 Rectors at Smarden since Adam de Essex in 1205.
On a personal note this is the church where I married my lovely wife Sylvia, nee Knight, on 21st August 1971.
The information above has been gleaned from Peter E Leech’s pamphlet “The Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel Smarden”.

Building Materials: Stone

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