St. Peter and St. Paul Church
The Church of St. Peter & St. Paul which lies in the heart of the Village was built between 1225 and 1245, on the site of where there is thought to have been an early Saxon church. The chancel was probably the original church with the nave being built some 100 years later - and subsequently the tower that dates from the 15th century was further heightened and crenelated in 1830. The principal features of note are:
The Roper Memorial
Which can be found high on the wall, almost opposite the organ is in memory of Anthony and Anne Roper and their five children. A clause in Anthony's will led to the founding of the Roper Charity benefiting villagers of Horton Kirby, Farningham, Eynsford and Crockenhill.
The Winston Windows
Charles Winston, the son of the vicar Benjamin Winston, became well known for his knowledge and skill in painting stained glass. There are two other examples here of his early work, one behind the pulpit and the other behind the choir stalls.
South Windows
The three south windows were blown out by enemy bombs in April 1941. All that remains is a small roundel, salvaged from the rubble by a local shopkeeper, which was reset in the middle window.
The West Window
This window was also destroyed by bombs in 1941. The design of the replacement caused some controversy as the vicar at the time proposed a depiction of King Charles I, King and Martyr and Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, the Patron Saint of Charities, who is also to be found in St. Botolph's Church at nearby Lullingstone. The matter was settled on the death of George VI in 1952 with the design amended to depict our new Queen (instead of Elizabeth of Hungary) opposite Charles 1. The window was finally dedicated in 1954 and was the first stained-glass church window to depict H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
The Font
The font is a 15th Century octagonal bowl with carvings illustrating the sacraments: Baptism; Holy Matrimony; Ordination; Extreme Unction; Holy Communion; Mass; Penance and Confirmation.
The Nash Mausoleum
The Mausoleum in the churchyard was long thought to be the work of John Nash, but this handsome low stone building with a cupola and spire is the Mausoleum of brothers Thomas Nash (d.1778), a very wealthy calico printer and his brother, John, a physician. They came from a local family, with no known connection to John Nash, the Regency architect.
For details of services (normally 11am every Sunday) please check the Benefice of Eynsford, Farningham & Lullingstone website where the Associate Rector (during interregnum since 2019) is Rev Dorothy McGarvey.
The West Window - the first depiction of HM Queen Elizabeth II in a stained-glass church window in the country
