Church of St Margaret, Darenth

St Margaret’s is an active Anglican church in the villageSmall rural collection of buildings with a church. of Darenth, Kent. It is in the Deaconry of Dartford, the Archdeaconry of Rochester, the Diocese of Rochester, and is one of the three churches in the BeneficeOriginally used in feudal societies to describe a grant of land as a reward for services rendered. In modern usage it refers to a collection of parishes working together under a single incumbent. of Darent Valley.^[1]

Of 10th-century origin, the church is believed to be the third oldest in Kent and the sixth oldest in the UK. It was designated a Grade I listed building in 1967.^[2] The architectural historian John Newman has described the church as “important, but visually rather charmless”.^[3]

Architecture

St Margaret’s is built of flint with stone dressings, and has a tiled roof. The chancelPart of a church containing the altar, used by the officiating clergy. and naveCentral part of a church, used by the laiety. are late 10th or early 11th century. The south-west tower dates from the 13th century, and the aislePart of a church on either side of the nave or choir, separated from them by arcades, colonnades or piers. More generally, a passageway between seats in an auditorium, shelves in a supermarket and so on. from the 15th century; the vestryRoom in Christian churches for the storage of liturgical vestments, sacred vessels and parish records. and porchVestibule before the main entrance to a Christian church, less sacred than the church proper. are modern. Inside there is a Norman font dating from about 1140.^[2]

The church was restored by William Burges in 1866–1868.^[3]