St Mary's Church, Luddenham, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Luddenham, Kent, it is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church stands within a farmyard.
The 850-year-old church of St Mary’s is hidden in a farmyard on marshland fringes to the south of the River Swale. The west doorway, with zig-zag decoration, is mid 12th-century, whilst the exceptionally long chancel was built about a hundred years later. Inside, a 13th-century stone coffin lid is topped by carved hands holding a heart. The curious little brick tower is early 19th-century. There are also some reused Roman tiles in the wall.
The church features a tower, which collapsed in 1807, and has been rebuilt. An archaeological dig was recently (ish) undertaken to try and locate the remains of the tower. Inside the church is a document that can be read to provide many details about the dig and its findings.
Inside the church also are some interesting features and a few leaflets about this and other nearby churches. I recommend the reading of the leaflet relating to this church.
The church porch was built in 1889 and since the church has had several repairs and restorations to how you see it now. Inside the church porch is the 12th Century Norman doorway into the building. The door itself is believed to be from the 17th Century.
The church became redundant in 1972 and was left in-active for 30 years before the Churches Conservation Trust took care of this quaint little church.
Now so to locate the cache...
N 51 A B . B B B
E 000 C D . C E C
Where...
A = Number of window panes in the right wall of the porch
B = Number of windows in the left wall of the porch
C = Number of the 19th Century cast iron stove on the church map (inside the church)
D = Number of the stone coffin lid from the 13th Century on the church map (also inside the church)
E = C + D from above
While the church is locked up, if you cannot work it from the sum, C=5 and D=1
Please be aware that you are on a farm, and there may be farm traffic or animals around. You may follow the road all the way to the church, but the church is the end of the public road and you will need to return the way you came.
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