 A church at Herne is recorded as having been a chapelry belonging to St Mary's Church, Reculver, until 1310, when it became a parish church.In the 15th century Matthew Phillip, of a family based at nearby Greenhill, became a goldsmith in London, rising to become warden of the goldsmiths' guild there, and was Lord Mayor of London from 1463 to 1464.He also owned Hawe Manor, a little under half a mile (733 m) north-east of Herne.