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Gallery:
St. Mary's Church Photos [all colour photos here are copyright hastingleigh.com]



View of the church from the SW corner, the brick work at the top of the flint tower, replaced a steeple.
There is just one bell at the top of the tower, though records show there were three of them
in times gone by. (click image to view full size photo.)

 



View from Kingsmill Down of the church valley.



 

South East view of Hastingleigh Churchyard (click image to view full size photo)

 

This old photo of the church shows how large one of the ancient
Yew trees, must have been before it was felled in the Great Storm of 1987.


                     

view of the church from the south west field - the replacement Yew tree is in the centre.

 

 

Church Lychgate (built 1993) next to Rev. Gostwyck Prideaux's grave.

 

            

13th century porch. (Click photos to see them full size)

 

The above photo of the murals found under the distemper in
middle 20th century, supposedly depict the annunciation.
(Click image to view full size photo.)


 

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This pillar in the churchyard did have a sundial on top (see c.1992 image on right,) but this has been stolen.
In Charles Igglesden's book A Saunter through Kent, he describes the sundial
as being made by Elliott of Ashford, a noted watch and clock maker,
and dates the missing sun dial as circa 1830's.It appears to have been stolen since 1993
as there is brief glimpse of it in a video taken that year in the churchyard.

 

Known as the Poyning's window, it has been placed in the frames back to front.
therefore should be viewed from outside the South of the church to see it as it was intended.
From the inside of the church the Poyning Family coat of arms is on the left in reverse,
and the Coat of arms for St. Thomas Hospital is on the right.
(Click the image to view full size photo.)

 

Madonna and Child sculpture on the South Wall,
it was sculpted by the local artist Gordon Lionel Davies (1926-2007) by commission,
and donated in 1984 in memory of their mother Margaret 'Emsie' Knight (nee Choules) (1898-1980),
by her children, son John Knight and daughter Chris Gorell Barnes.

     

Dove font cover, carved from one of the ancient Yew trees felled in the great storm.
 ( "I saw the spirit descend from the heavens above." )

 

       

The two piscina or sacrarium which are found inside the church.

 

View inside the church, towards the west door. (click photo to see enlarged  size)

 


This is the newest stained glass window panel, and celebrates 700 years of recorded worship in 1993.

 

This very colourful window is the oldest in the church, it dates from the 1200's and contains Grisaille Stained Glass.
the mould which has crept on to the glass on the outside, is due to inadequacies in the chosen protective panel
attached to the outside wall. (click image to view enlarged size photo)
[The image on the home page of the website depicts what it could look like if experts can get it restored.]

 

Memorial Window No.151 on the plans and inscriptions page (Click)

Memorial window in the south wall of the south aisle -circa1926
(to Mr RJ Sankey and Mrs Fanny Sankey) (click photo to see enlarged size)
represent 'The Good Shepherd' and 'The Light of The World'.

 

Memorial Window No.015 on the plans and inscriptions page (Click)

Lieut. Graham G.J. Sankey memorial window in the east wall, above the main altar. (click photo to see enlarged size)
The three panels represent 'Christ' in the centre with 'Daniel' on the left and 'The Centurion' on the right of it.

 

   

Memorial Windows No.150 and No.149 on the plans and inscriptions page (Click)

Individual memorial stained glass windows of 'St. Michael' and 'Mary the Blessed Virgin and child'.
(Click the photos to see them enlarged size)
Frederick Kenyon Rooke, was the son-in-law of Richard J Sankey and died on St. Michael's Day 1909
and Leslie Richard Sankey the eldest of Richard J Sankey's sons died 12th June 1936.

 

This window was installed in 1910 in the North wall, it appears to have been created from several random shards of stained
glass, origins unknown. The window space is the oldest in the church dating from Norman times.

 

1952  -planting of a tree on the south side of the church. (click here to see the names of the men in the photo.)
[printed here by kind permission of R.Young]

 

The crucified christ on a cross suspended above the rood screen.

 

Looking South to the church and Court Lodge