The Canonry Benefice - Diocese of Canterbury

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Appendix C The Parishes of St Mildred’s Preston, Elmstone and All Saints Stourmouth St Mildred’s, Preston Elmstone All Saints, Stourmouth Introduction The parish is rural and therefore fairly widespread, Preston being the main village with Elmstone and the two distinct villages of Stourmouth and West Stourmouth on the outskirts. The population taken from the 1991, census is approximately 856. Preston retains the Village Stores, although this may close at the end of 2011, the Farm Shop and a Butcher as well as a pub. Preston Nursery and Coffee Shop is a welcome addition. There is a Village Hall, Recreation Ground and Preston Primary School which are all situated in the centre of the village along with the village car park. There is a hugely diverse range of housing in the parish, from manor houses and traditional farms right through the spectrum to housing specifically for the elderly. In common with many rural locations, the public transport infrastructure is limited. The nearest railway stations are Adisham to the south and Minister to the North, both approximately 7 miles away. Both stations provide a regular service into Canterbury and onwards to London. There are very limited bus services from Preston to Wingham (which has better onward links to the city of Canterbury and the market town of Sandwich), Canterbury and Thanet. There is an Island Hoppa bus service which operates between Aylesham via Wingham and return, with one a week to Margate and Westwood via Thanet villages. This is a weekday’s only service. St. Mildred’s Church, Preston St. Mildred’s church is thought to have been built on Saxon foundations, as shown by the Saxon stonework in the tower. The major part of the church dates from the 13 th Century. The belfry contains five bells cast in 1712 and a sixth added in the early 1980s when the bells were rehung; they have been rung ever since. The church is dedicated to St. Mildred, who became abbess of Minister in Thanet. Legend has it that wherever her deer roamed and found a spring, a 11
church was founded. On the right hand side of the chancel there is a beautifully decorated window dedicated to St. Mildred. The South-Aisle chapel was dedicated to the memory of Bishop Jenner, first Bishop of Dunedin in New Zealand and for 44 years Vicar of Preston until his death in 1898. Jenner was responsible for much of the restoration of the church and there is a copy of a painting found in the church of Jenner and a stained glass window in the South chapel which was dedicated in 1938 and rededicated in 2004. The Church building had begun to show its age by the end of the twentieth century and there was a great deal of work to do on the fabric. The church was faced either with restoration or ruin. So in 1993 after a number of meetings The Friends of Preston Church were formed. Since the foundation of the Friends much of the church has been restored, including the floor and the dormer windows. The Friends have also supported the repair of internal furnishings and the installation of central heating. St. Mildred’s lends itself to Family Services and events such as concerts and school assemblies with larger congregations; people often comment on how welcoming and comforting the church feels. Elmstone Church (No dedication) We feel very privileged to have such a beautiful, picturesque and peaceful church to worship in. It is uncertain when the first church was built here but it was probably in the middle of the 12 th Century. The Manor of Elmstone had been held previously by the great grandfather of the wealthy heiress of Kent, Julianna de Laybourne – ‘The Infanta of Kent’. She died in 1367 at her Manor House at Preston. Although much research has been made into the name or names of a Dedication Saint, nothing so far has been discovered. Elmstone is called in Domesday Book ‘Aelvetone’ and in later records, ‘Ealmestone’, ‘Elmerstone’ and ‘Elmeston’. There are three bells and a holy water stoup on the east jamb of the South Porch. In the side chapel there is a perfect piscine or drain and the font is Norman constructed of Bethersden marble. The church has three small Norman windows and an organ that is reputed to have come from Hatfield House and to have been played by Queen Victoria. Following recommendations from Quinquennial reports much work has been carried out over the past few years to maintain Elmstone church, including a new floor in the North Chapel and most recently complete re-tiling of the roof. All Saints’ Church, Stourmouth (Redundant) All Saints’ church is in West Stourmouth. It is not definite when it was built but there was an established settlement by 1066 and parts of All Saints’ date back to late Saxon times. The church was substantially rebuilt in the latter half of the 12 th century. In 1979 the church was declared redundant and left to decay until it was taken over and restored by the Churches Conversation Trust in 1980. Since 1986 there have been four to 12
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Page 7 and 8: Appendix A The Parish of Ash with W
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Page 15 and 16: Lay Involvement We are now delighte
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Page 21 and 22: Wingham PCC meets approximately fiv

The Canonry Benefice - Diocese of Canterbury

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