Church Of St Leonard

The Church of St Leonard is a parish church that dates from the 13th century and the early 19th century. It is constructed of flint that is entirely rendered and channelled, except for part of the north wall of the nave. The roof is plain tiled. The church consists of a chancel, nave, south porch, and a west tower. The west end, added in the 19th century, features chamfered Gothick lancets and a double chamfered west doorway leading to the tower and porch, which has a louvred belfry. The south porch is battlemented. The chancel has offset corner buttresses, two east lancets, and a 14th-century ogee-headed north window. The north wall of the nave and chancel is inset three times with exposed quoins, and the chancel roof is stepped, indicating that the church was once larger.

Inside, the west tower intrudes into the nave. The nave roof features two large moulded crown posts, while the chancel roof has three spindly crown posts. There is no chancel arch; instead, the chancel is stepped in from the nave, and the north chancel wall is also stepped in, revealing the exposed jambs of an arcade that led to a lost chapel.

The church contains a complete set of 18th-century box pews with raised and fielded panels, with the rear set raised in tiers. There is an integral two-tier pulpit with a ramped handrail and panelling. The 18th-century altar rail has turned balusters and square knops, along with moulded dado panelling in the sanctuary and a reredos featuring a ball flower finial and inscriptions. The choir stalls incorporate 15th-century bench ends with linenfold panels, displaying the emblem of the Trinity on one end and the Star and Garter on the other, made for Sir Richard Badlesmere in 1415. There is a plain 15th-century octagonal font with a 17th-century wooden font cover. The church also features a royal coat of arms from 1717 and a large hatchment on the south wall, along with six tugged inscription boards in the nave. The church remains remarkably unrestored, which is unusual for this part of Kent.