The Friends and the History of our Church - St Stephens Parish Church, Canterbury, Kent

Our History and The Friends

The Friends

The Friends were formed in 1998 specifically to raise money for the maintenance of the Grade I listed church building.

It is recognised that many people see the church in the community as an integral part of their environment, even if they do not attend services on a regular basis. Some 150 people have joined The Friends and between them have raised over £30,000, most of which has already been spent on various projects of repair and restoration.

We publish a newsletter four times a year with details of on-going repair work, glimpses into the history of the parish and details of our future events.

The Friends hold various functions throughout the year to raise money for the fabric of the church.

At present we have about 150 members who see our work as being important to the community in general. Membership costs £10 per year per household, with concessions of £5.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE HELPED US

View The Friends Constitution - Click here to view/hide

GUIDLINES ON CONSTITUTION

The ultimate responsibility for the care, maintenance, repair and insurance of the parish church is vested in the Parochial Church Council (PCC) under "The Parochial Church Council's (Powers) Measure 1956". This cannot be delegated to another body by law.

"The Friends" scheme is set up under the aegis of the Parochial Church Council of St Stephen's Parish Church, Hackington, Canterbury, whose officers control its workings.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Stephen's has passed a resolution establishing "The Friends" as a sub-committee, and has two members of the PCC as members of "The Friends".

"The Friends" are responsible for raising funds for the PCC solely for the purpose of maintaining and conserving the Parish Church. Any funds raised by "The Friends" will be used solely for that purpose, and under the direction of the PCC. "The Friends" committee shall be free to use its funds for necessary expenses incurred for fund-raising purposes. Accounts and an annual report shall be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting each year.

"The Friends" will be responsible for organising membership, service to members and events for fund-raising, and will report regularly to the PCC (via the Executive Committee).

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Our history

A short account of the Parish of Hackington alias St Stephen's near Canterbury by Rev P P Somerville, Rector, 1915

The following is a complete reproduction of a record made by Rev Philip P SOMERVILLE, Rector of St Stephen's from 1906 to 1926, and published by Gibbs and Sons, Palace Street, Canterbury, in 1915.

It has been necessary to insert paragraphs into the orginal text, as it was originally published in one continuous form.

(Marten Rogers 1995)

Preface: We have been asked to repeat our note on the "Lady Loretta" who is buried beneath the steps leading to the Sanctuary.

The Lady Loretta was the Countess of Leicester whose husband was killed when on the Crusade with Richard Coeur de Lion. When widowed, she came to St Stephen's and devoted herself to the Church. She lived somewhere close at hand and ministered to the pilgrims making their way to the shrine of Thomas a Becket. She lived a holy ministering life and when she died her body was laid to rest in the Chancel. Her sister, to whom she left her house and property, was the wife of Simon de Montfort, so that it is more than probable that this great man worshipped in our Church.

"The name of our parish seems to mean the town or settlement among the hacks or thorn bushes, and here probably in the days of our British forefathers would stand a number of their wattle and daub huts. Possibly under one of the oak trees of the forest which in those days stretched from the Stour to the sea, the Druid priest observed the rites of his religion near to the spot where now our Church stands, rites which included the sacrifice of human beings, but which were chiefly the worship of the spirits of the wind, the streams, and such things of nature..."

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