The Deanery - Its Formation

Previously known as the Cranbrook Deanery, the Weald Deanery was officially renamed on May 1st, 2008.  Historically, in the late 1990s the much larger West Charing Deanery was split to form the Cranbrook Deanery and Tenterden Deanery. In addition the Parish of Headcorn became part of the Cranbrook Deanery being formally part of the Sutton Deanery. In January 2009 the Parishes of Sutton Valence, Chart Sutton and East Sutton formed a cluster with Headcorn and joined the Weald Deanery making a group of twelve parishes and seven benefices: Cranbrook; Sissinghurst and Frittenden; Headcorn with Sutton Valence, Chart Sutton and East Sutton; Staplehurst; Marden; Goudhurst and Kilndown, and Hawkhurst.

There is little natural sense of belonging together.  Parishes are in different local authority districts, some looking to Tunbridge Wells, or even Tonbridge; others (Headcorn, Marden and Staplehurst in particular) towards Maidstone.

Secondary school children are likewise scattered in schools as far apart as Wadhurst and Maidstone, although Angley School at Cranbrook provides some sense of focus for secondary education.  Parishes also belong to a number of different parliamentary constituencies.  Many of the population are commuters whose lives are centred on London, and whose long working hours leave little time to contribute much to their adopted communities.

In ecumenical terms, the larger communities have their own small groupings, but the other denominations tend to be organised totally differently, with, for example, the Methodist circuit based in Tunbridge Wells relating to the Diocese of Rochester, or the Roman Catholic parish priest of Goudhurst and Hawkhurst also caring for a church in Horsmonden ( Diocese of Rochester).

One thing that parishes have in common is that they are a long way from Canterbury!  There is a sense of remoteness from ‘the centre’, and sometimes a sense of being unheard or even neglected.  Some may see this as an advantage.