St Marys Church, Stansted, Kent
The ecclesiastical parish covers Stansted, Fairseat and Vigo, and places of worship in these three villages. For current information on services, events, and other church services please visit the church website using the ‘St Mary’s Stansted’ link.
History of St Marys Church
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a grade II listed building, rebuilt in the fourteenth century and restored in the nineteenth century. In 1883 St Mary’s was completely restored and the small vestry constructed on the south side of the chancel.
Rectors of St Marys
Stansted was a chapel to Wrotham until 1647 when the two parishes separated for 13 years. In 1660 the two parishes were reunited and the Rector/Vicar of Wrotham again served as the curate of Stansted until 1846. Stansted was separated from Wrotham in 1846 and from that date had its own Rector.
The 'Cloisters' Development
An extension to the main church, the Cloisters, was started in 2013 and officially opened in October 2015. A report on the Cloisters development and a photographic record of the work are available below.
Bell Restoration Project
On 9th June 1991 one hundred and fifty intrepid walkers accompanied the oldest bell in St Mary’s tower to Whitechapel Bell Foundry, a distance of 26 miles. Dressed in medieval costume they raised a quarter of the funds needed for a new bell frame, ringing gallery, and the casting of three new bells to create a ring of six.
A study was commissioned by the Stansted, Fairseat with Vigo PCC and a ‘Historic Building Record & Watching Brief’ was subsequently produced by Archaeology South-East (ASE) and published in 2014.