The author recounts a visit to the town of Staplehurst during Heritage Weekend, where he stumbled across a church hosting a Ride and Stride event. Inside, he noticed what he believed to be an anchorite’s cell, but was informed it was actually an organ chamber. The church’s most notable feature is its ironwork south doorway, which dates back to about 1050 and depicts the Norse Day of Judgement. In addition to the nave, chancel, south aisle, and chapel, there is also an anchorite’s cell visible from the north window. The Tudor panels under the tower feature shears in reference to Staplehurst’s role in the medieval wool trade.
Further details about Staplehurst are provided, with the town being described as having a gloomy and dreary appearance due to its low, flat, and miry landscape. The village itself, located on a hill, is home to about 88 houses and not quite a thousand inhabitants as well as a large ancient manor house named Loddenden. The manor of Staplehurst was once part of the possessions of the family of Fremingham, and later passed through a number of owners until it was sold to Galfridus Mann in 1752. Another manor within the parish, Newsted, was annexed to a free chapel and later granted to Sir Edward Wotton, eventually passing through a number of owners until it was inherited by Edward Covert’s daughter and heir.
Overall, the content provides a brief historical overview and architectural details of a church and town, highlighting notable features and key figures in the area’s past.