St Oswald's Church, Paddlesworth, Kent

St Oswald's Church, Paddlesworth, Kent

Visited April 2018

"The Highest Ground
The Lowest Steeple
The Poorest Parish
The Fewest People"

St Oswald's Church in the tiny village of Paddlesworth, near Folkestone in Kent, dates from the 12th century. It's accessed via a path between fields from the Cat and Custard Pot pub (where you can get the key, if the church is locked). It's well worth a visit, as is the pub, if you're in the area.

The church itself is very small, with two parts. The 12th century south doorway (on the opposite side of the building from the door you enter through) is ornate, and stands out from the rest of the exterior. 

There's a small graveyard surrounding it, mainly of 19th century graves although there are records of burials going back to the 15th century in the churchyard. Only a few gravestones remain, as it has clearly been cleared at some point; raised areas of the churchyard give clues to the long history of burials on the site.