anglican parish church kent united_kingdom diocese rochester province canterbury church built 7th earl following removal village 12th century place worship allow castle style stone structure described outstanding 18th century church county scale ambition architectural interest architect unknown prominent era figures suggested internal fixtures survive medieval church including stained glass series high quality brass stone memorials alterations times 19th 20th centuries including repairs wartime bomb damage restoration work undertaken church awarded grade listed status view architectural historical importance history medieval church church dedicated reign henry_ii belonged original church said built appropriated knights foundation reign henry_ii dispute concerning patronage church gilbert bishop rochester asked dispute found favour church pay sum perpetual shortly settlement dispute church granted possession remained dissolved church passed possession properties crown granted sir passing death son henry death daughter mary coming possession husband abandoned right granted gilbert rochester church possessed lands amounting acres castle rebuilt villa design flanking stable block added necessitating removal church 7th earl obtained faculty demolition ancient church present church built new church site centre village mile northwest predecessor construction began completed years later august memorials old church moved new building son john person baptised church september marriages village lack church visited church said designed tall poor church beneath history said church bear richly deserves inspection curious traveller church repaired possibly went design church ownership francis lord annual income church valued rebuilt new round arched window cut east wall church flanked blind windows bells repaired clock installed base tower memory rector plan architect dated extend church eastwards building proportions west carried major repairs carried supervision architect following damage sustained second world war bells repaired august church added register listed buildings grade listed clock repaired memory rector new clock face fitted time winding mechanism converted electric power inspection revealed church needed major repairs english_heritage grant covered cost restoration work carried supervision architects won award best restoration georgian church church actively place worship find details church website description lawrence style building unknown architect worked similar style died design executed followers second generation architect suggested master carpenter london palaces fields london style church suggested similar london sir tentatively attributes church exterior church blocks dressed sandstone porch columns tower sandstone joints simple rectangular form 18th century temple church style london early church model design neo theory roof covered slate prominent ends rising roof west end church tall tower topped flanked decorative stone structure square base supporting octagonal upper stages sides similar fields says copied directly church projecting west end end roof open porch columns topped design based baroque church strand central london cited model tower bells cast key interior interior style entrance church porch west end leads circular chamber base tower rooms sides house monuments original church north brass wife julian found warden religious guild brass earliest known representation coat arms chapel serves south contains sir monuments 3rd baron son 4th baron memorial contains heart 5th baron tomb sir wife mary sons francis george depicted kneeling base tomb wide nave seven bays long barrel vaulted ceiling painted convincingly according guide chancel chapel nave separated painted marble effect stone columns originally partly support horizontal usual arches strict geometry interior bay square nave times wider aisle gives appearance normally associated georgian era built east end window imitation type roman filling space left clear arch barrel vault round headed window added fixtures include marble font contemporary church stained glass oldest form dates visible window east wall window southwest east window erected memory sir rector similar glass dates 17th 18th centuries depicting designed butler firm organ gray installed lord cost rector extended range organ memory wife contains memorials notable memorials sir high sheriff kent standing monument dates depicts wife kneeling sons supported prominent carried columns memorial marble sir high sheriff kent joint high sheriff kent fought siege fine brass inches long shows knight closely resembles similar era mary church kent warden religious guild brass inches long 6th 7th 7th earl builder church wife royal_navy admiral person win victoria_cross speaker house_of_commons commemorated inside monument decorated angels poor brass inches long italian artist wall mounted memorial south church sir master rolls contains church today parish covers village surrounding rural area village kings hill joint church neighbouring west grade listed building church considered english_heritage exceptional interest greater national importance february grade listed buildings listed buildings grades district local government district situated church active use place worship sunday church website gives details times services
St Lawrence's Church, Mereworth