St Mary the Virgin

A church has stood here since 1115, at the centre of a cluster of buildings, including manor house, guild house and rectory, all still surviving. Listed grade I, the church helps tell a country's story through the eyes of single village, through its courtiers, soldiers, statesmen, politicians or priests whose lives appear on memorials or through its changing architecture, brasses, carvings, effiigies and windows.

Old Soar Manor is situated in a remote position in the Kent countryside near Ightham, on the edge of the North Downs. This rare survival of 13th century domestic architecture gives an illuminating impression of the life of a rich medieval family. The manor belonged to the Culpeppers, a leading Kentish family in the Middle Ages who were major landowners.

The small church is an attractive building of 12th and 15th century work with alterations and additions occurring in the 13th and 14th centuries. Although the open trussed roofs are of early date the wooden spire clad with shingles is of recent date replacing the original after a fire in 1946.