St. Mary's Church, Hadlow

St. Mary's, Hadlow
St. Mary's, Hadlow
St. Mary's, Hadlow St. Mary's, Hadlow
51°13′24″N 0°20′22″E / 51.22333°N 0.33944°E / 51.22333; 0.33944Coordinates: 51°13′24″N 0°20′22″E / 51.22333°N 0.33944°E / 51.22333; 0.33944
OS grid reference	TQ 6343 4971
Location	Hadlow, Kent
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Liberal Catholic
Website	www.stmaryshadlow.org.uk
History
Founded	975
Dedication	St. Mary
Architecture
Status	Church
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II* listed
Designated	20 October 1954
Architectural type	Church
Style	Early English Decorated
Specifications
Number of spires	1
Administration
Parish	Hadlow
Deanery	Paddock Wood
Archdeaconry	Tonbridge
Diocese	Rochester
Province	Canterbury
Clergy
Vicar(s)	Rev. Paul White

St. Mary's Church is the parish church in Hadlow, Kent, United Kingdom. The church is a Grade II* listed building.

The first record of a church in Hadlow was in 975. This church would probably have been a wooden building. In 1018, the early church was replaced by a building of stone. In the 12th century, the church was rebuilt and extended by Richard de Clare, then lord of the Manor of Hadlow. De Clare granted the church to the Knights Hospitallers in 1166. The Knights Hospitallers later had a preceptory at nearby West Peckham, which was their local administrative base. From the Norman Conquest until the 18th century, Hadlow did not have a resident Lord of the Manor, being held under Tonbridge Castle. It is thought that the tower was raised and the spire added in the 15th century. Little money was spent on the maintenance of the church, although some 15th- and 16th-century bequests are recorded. Thomas Walter, Yeoman bequeathed 20s in 1448 "To make a window on the north side of the church by the altar of Our Lady". John Tatlyngbery bequeathed 10 marks "For repair of the great door of the church". In 1456, Richard Bealde bequeathed 13s 4d "For repair of the tower of Hadlow church". In 1461, Dionysia Ippenbury left 3d for masses to be said each year for 12 years. In 1465, William Palle, yeoman left a cow to the church. It was to be sold and "the profits therefrom to be devoted to the maintenance of a lamp in the chancel". In 1509, Thomas Fisher, yeoman bequeathed £20 "for making a new rood loft". The rood screen may not have been in existence long, although it was mentioned in bequests dated 1510 and 1513. The church remained under the ownership of the Knights Hospitallers until 1540, when the order was dissolved by Henry VIII. In 1533, Henry Fane left two chalices valued at £4.