The Haunted Ruins of St Mary's Church, Eastwell, Kent.

The Haunted Ruins of St Mary's Church,

Eastwell, Kent.

by Barry Van-Asten

While out walking along the North Downs I came upon this old ruined church at Eastwell in Kent. The light was quickly fading and I took some images of this great Grade II listed ruin.

 

The spectacularly spooky St Mary's Church at Eastwell

 

 

 

 

 

The church has been derelict for over sixty years

 

 

 

 

The roof collapsed in 1951

 

 

 

 

During the Second World War the Eastwell Estate was used for

tank manoeuvres and it is said that this probably helped to weaken

the foundations of the church

 

 

 

 

Most of the church was demolished in 1956

 

 

 

 

A tomb in the churchyard is thought to be that of Richard,

the last of the Plantagenets who died in 1550

 

 

 

 

Richard was the bastard son of King Richard III

who died at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485

 

 

 

 

Richard (the bastard) lived locally and worked as a craftsman

 

 

 

 

The church is still consecrated and said to be haunted by a ghostly monk!

 

 

 

 

The artificial Lake was created in the 1840's by damming a

tributary stream of the River Great Stour

 

 

 

 

The Lake may have also played a part in the church's downfall

by water seeping into the chalk foundations

 

 

 

 

 

 all images Copyright Barry Van-Asten