The Heritage Weekend is a national event, on which many historical buildings, secular and religious are opened for free. Some usually charge, but some are only open on this weekend. And for me with the ongoing Kent church project ongoing, it is the opportunity to see inside churches that for the other 51 weeks of the year are locked fast. Anyway, with my list of churches that I have yet to visit getting shorter year on year, deciding where to go each year gets more difficult.
There are the usual churches which continue to refuse available to me; Preston and Whitfield. And then there are those that I have yet to see inside. And that list for East Kent is now quite short indeed. However, as seems to the way now, I write a list, mostly on Saturday morning, writing my wish list.
First up was a All Saints in Walmer, a church which although on the The Strand, is easily missed. It's door is set to the side, so passing it you can't tell whether it is open, or not. I park a little way away, walk up to the wall, and there is no indication if I would be lucky. I walk to the porch, and the inner door was open. Yay.
Bradshaw says in his first railway guide that Deal, and therefore Walmer too, wasn't a very nice place, as it was filled with working fisherment, but hinted that things would get better. THis church was built just before then, to cater for the spiritual needs of the fishermen and their families.
Now at the same time as the Heritage Weekend, there is a charity event called Ride and Stride, which invites people to undertake sponsored rides or walks. Many churches open, but a few don't, or won't. I'm talking about you Preston and Whitfield. So, at most of the participating churches, not only are they open, but there is a warm welcome and refreshments available too.
So, I was welcomed, and offered tea, coffee, biscuits. But I just wanted my shots.Two parishes over there is another small parish church, Sholden, and after finding a place to park on a side road, we walk to the church, and find the door wide open, and inside another warm welcome; tea, coffee, biscuits? I am told the history of the church, the damage and how the parish coped when the church was repaired. Sholden is another church that could be overlooked, set on the main road between Deal and Sandwich, and I had only visited once before and found it locked.
Next up was Great Mongeham: this is in effect a suburb of Deal, and yet where Deal ends and Mongeham begins is hard to tell as the row of house continues unbroken down the main road. Mongeham is known to us as a fine place for picking autumnal fruit. So, we had been here several times, and yet none of us could remember seeing a church. Down the high street, up the hill and past the manor house, and if anything, the church should be near that. Indeed, we whizz past a dead end lane bearing the name of something like Church Close, so we find a place to park and follow a couple of old gaffers walking their dogs.
Inside the flower arrangers had just finished their task of renewing the blooms through the church, and sat on one of the pews chatting. I am warmly greeted and followed around the church, someone pointing out each interesting item in the part of the church I was in. The columns each had a colourful banner attached, making it seem a vibrant place. The church had just had an art show, and they tried to appologise for the untidiness. I liked it as it was, a well used church if I'm honest.
The Rood Screen had been moved from its original location, and now separated the bottom of the tower and the bell-ringer's ropes from the rest of the church. It looks fine there.
From there I thought we should try to get inside the Hospital chapel at Harbledown. It was quite a drive, but it being so historic, should be open, it even showed up on the list of buildings on the Heritage Weekend webpage. We take the road to Sandwich, then to Wingham, Barham and onto the A2, from there to Canterbury. I mean this in no way a hardship, the weather was splendid, and the countryside just at it's summer best. The stubble in the fields still had a hint of gold, but mostly fields had been ploughed and much spread on them.
We find a place to park on the side of the road as it climbs the hill, I take my cameras out of the boot, and we walk through the covered walkway into the ancient hospital, and right away I see the Ride & Stride leaflet pinned to a door of the administration building, a sure sign people had given up and gone home. Or had just done that at the start of the day. I do try the chapel door, but it is locked and barred. Darn it.
Harbledown is a village I had been to before, to try to see inside the chapel at the old Leper church. On the other side of the road there is the parish church, and that too was locked on that visit. Sadly, the Hospital church had just been locked, I know this as when I went to the parish church, I was assured it would be open. It didn't reopen after lunch, sadly. But as you can tell, the parish church was, and was a Gothic wonder, although clearly it is as high as it can before without stopping being Anglican.
We have a pint at the Old Coach and Horses, which seems to now be some kind of gastropub, but they have Timothy Taylor on draught, so I'm happy. We were going to eat here, but in the end decided to wait until we went into Canterbury, where there would be a larger choice of places to eat.I try to hospital chapel once again, but it is still locked, and no indication if it would reopen.
We drive into the city, parking near Canterbury West station, then take the road towards the imposing Westgate, but we know on the corner looking onto the roundabout and gate was a fine Mexican place, Cafe des Amis. We walk down, and look inside, and they have a table right in the window with views of people walking by and with the gatehouse as background.
We order a mixed starter, then some kind of duck breast with spicy sauce for Jools, and pork belly fajitas for me, which came with strips of crackling along with the usual vegetable and sauces. Man, they were some tasty fajitas I can tell you.
The other side of the level crossing is St Dunstan's, an ancient church, and the probable final resting place of St Thomas More's head. It is un-manned, but the door swings open, and a wonderful church is revealed, with light streaming in through the many windows dedicated to Thomas More. Some building work was going on at the rear, so I will have to go back, but this was another hard to get into church ticked off the list!
Up from Westgate is St Peter, just up a short alley is the small tower of the church, and I thought the church would be of similar size. And yet once inside the church, it opens up and is wonderful in its simplicity. And yet, being almost square in shape, judging its history as how it came to be thus was difficult to guess. But there was a hint of a Norman Chancel. 
The welcome is warm again, and I am offered drinks, which I decline having just had a fine brunch.
I was in town to visit St Mildred's; a church that over the last 5 years has always been locked when I tried to visit. But, this time might be different. But to get there I had to dodge through the crowds on Westgate, over the Stour before taking a side street towards the castle and the church.
I see that the door is open anyway, so I sigh with relief, and go onside. Waiting are about half dozen wardens and volunteers, who are more than welcoming. The church; well, where to start? After waiting for so long to see inside, it would be something special not to disappoint. But then it is bonkers: there is the most wonderful west window, it really is something to see (photos to come), a Rood Beam with the top half of the screen apparently still in place. It is a glorious place.But I am done.
It is four in the afternoon, or near enough. I am hot and bothered, thoughts of more Canterbury churches can wait for another time. I walk back to the car to meet up with Jools, then we drive home, arriving home at half four to listen to the last twenty minutes of the football, and feed the cats.
I have avoided the Manc Derby all afternoon. It could wait I thought, and Citeh eased to a 2-1 win. Norwich almost bottle it, but hang on to win 3-2 against Cardiff, but enough there to keep the boo boys booing.
I look at my shots, make a brew and the day fades outside once again. It has been a golden day, but clouds roll in and rain falls to help the garden grow.
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