About Us

St. Mary´s church in its delightful rural setting is the jewel of Hinxhill. It is especially worth visiting in early Spring when a drift of snowdrops covers much of the churchyard.

The name Hinxhill is thought to be a corruption of Hengest Heille, the place of Hengest who is said to have roved these parts in the 5th century. The Hengest Chapel is believed to be Saxon. The church was probably a chapel of ease for pilgrims between Hastings and Canterbury.

The windows, ten stained glass, are mostly Victorian, five were restored in 1947 after war damage. A fine panel of seventeenth century painted glass is seen in the vestry. In the chancel there is an overlarge, alabaster monument of 1632 of Robert Edolph and his wife dressed in Jacobean costumes. During the time of Cromwell the monument was covered in plaster and only rediscovered when the plaster cracked.

The church has a small but loyal congregation, there are two services each month, one of Holy Communion and one of Evensong using the 1662 Prayer Book.