St Augustine
Brookland, Kent
St Augustine's is well known for its remarkable detached bell tower, its size and shape unlike any other in Britain.
The lovely rural setting helps, as does the church's friendly jumble of red tiled roofs, buttresses, mixed building materials in the walls, and rustic broach spire that crowns the tower.
The core of the church dates from the 12th century, with additions in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Inside is an excellent collection of post Reformation fittings, including 17th century commandment boards behind the altar, a gallery and 18th century box pews.
The church had seen renovation and expansion over the years, before catching the eye of the House of Mouse in the 1960s for its TV adaptation of the classic Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh novel. Aired in 1963 as part of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color anthology TV series, the three part show titled ‘The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh’ was filmed entirely in Kent.
Disney funded all necessary repairs and restoration work, including repainting the box pews and gallery and repairing the stairwell to the gallery. The interior of the church was painted in pink, and remains as such to this day. Disney also left behind money for further repairs to be completed and renovation continued with the support of other grants, finally being completed in 1968.
The film director Derek Jarman is buried here.