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St. Mary's, Goudhurst with
Christ Church, Kilndown
 
St. Mary's Church, Goudhurst Christ Church, Kilndown
Rev. Bill Hornsby, Vicar and Area Dean designate
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
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Goudhurst is a charming village nestling on the edge of the Weald some 480 feet above sea level. There are splendid views from the church tower over the surrounding countryside which until recent years was filled with hop gardens as far as the eye can see. Today the characteristic oast houses have been converted into very desirable residences and the station which brought the hop pickers down from the east end of London is long since closed. Despite the closure of one or two shops the village continues to flourish as a magnet for visitors and is now a sanctuary for commuters to London.
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The splendid church of St Mary’s dominates the centre of the village, standing at the top of the High Street. Until 1840 when the new church at Kilndown was built, the parish was one of the largest in England stretching from Curtisden Green in the north almost to the heart of Flimwell in the south. For nearly one hundred and fifty years the village of Kilndown was a separate parish centred around the two great estates of Bedgebury to the east and Scotney Castle to the west. Christ Church lacks the grandeur of St Mary’s, but rewards the inquisitive visitor with a striking example of a Victorian gothic interior rich in colour and detail. Like many others of similar size, Kilndown has lost its church school and shops in recent years, but the sense of community is strong and the villagers work hard to sustain their identity, using the Village Hall and the Quarry centre for a wide range of activities.
STYLE OF WORSHIP
YOUTH AND CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
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A weekly Sunday Club provides opportunities, during term time, for children to have their own time of learning and worship. We seek to involve all ages in devising and leading parts of the liturgy - especially at Family Services and Family Communions. We are currently giving thought to developing a short time of worship, craft activity and fellowship for Parents, Carers and Toddlers and also to a time for the older children to meet outside church.
DETAILS OF OTHER CHURCH ACTIVITIES
LINKS WITH SCHOOLS IN THE PARISH
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We are fortunate in having a fine church school for both villages, and a group representing the school and the two churches has worked hard to utilise the church buildings as a teaching resource and also to help the children to learn to worship in a way that is appropriate for them. It has been possible to enrich the life of the pupils by funding visits for every child to the cathedral at Canterbury, and also by using the link with the church in Sri Lanka to provide multicultural experiences.
OVERSEAS LINKS/PROJECTS
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Set up by a former incumbent, the Sri Lanka link, though formally independent of the two churches, is rooted in the two parishes. The Link continues to foster greater understanding and facilitate exchanges of people between two very different cultures.
AFFILIATIONS/LINKS TO OTHER ORGANISATIONS/CHURCHES
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Much of what is done together with the Roman Catholic community takes place at the church of the Sacred Heart. Highlights of the year include shared Lent activities culminating in an unusual simultaneous celebration of the Eucharist together on Easter Eve. Processions are loved! Goudhurst High Street is closed for both a Nativity procession at Christmas, and for the Good Friday procession. Kilndown has its turn on Palm Sunday when worshippers follow the donkey in remembering Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem.
OPENING TIMES OF THE CHURCHES
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