St Mary

The church of St Mary, Nackington is of Norman origin and after the Reformation it was given to the Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry VIII. It is set in its own churchyard with views of surrounding farmland.

The Grade I listed church comprises a nave, chancel with a south chapel on one side, a low tower with a wooden spire at the western end, a north porch, a vestry and a boiler house. The building is constructed of flint with Caen ashlar quoins, brick patching and brick and Kent Ragstone for the buttresses and weathering, all under clay tile roofs which are supported by open timber trusses and crown posts.

The earliest visible remains are the 12th century Norman nave with three surviving plain round headed windows. The chancel dates from the 13th century as does the small offset tower at the west end of the nave. There are original windows in the north chancel wall and in three faces of the tower walls. A large chapel was added to the south side of the chancel by inserting a wide arch opening from the chancel. 

15th century alterations included the present crown post roof of the nave, the adding of buttresses and a reduction in the height of the tower, probably for reasons of stability. In the 19th century the east walls of the chancel and the chapel walls were completely rebuilt, the chancel given a new roof, the vestry and boiler house added and the north porch rebuilt. The tower was given a new brick upper stage with a small spire and weather vane to house the single bell, dated 1727.

The two north chancel wall windows contain reputedly 13th century glass and the north nave and the tower windows have interesting panels and figures of 16th/17th century Flemish or Dutch origin.