PDA

View Full Version : Archived: St. Leonards Church, Hythe, Kent, - 10/7/10



Ryda
10-09-2010, 11:09 PM
The church itself stands high and mighty overlooking Hythe's impressive town full of small interchanging lanes and old fashioned houses. The original church was built around 1090, without an aisle and only a small square-ended chancel. Considerable changes were made at later periods, creating an aisle and making the church more cruciform by the addition of north and south transepts. A new chancel was also built around the earlier one.

Then in the 13th Century when the English style of architecture was reaching perfection, a west tower was added, and the choir and sanctuary were replaced. The chancel floor was unusually raised and is reached by nine stone steps, the reason for this is because underneath the chancel is a vaulted passageway (Ambulatory), underneath the sanctuuary for customary church possessions. These possessions are the real reason for my such interest in this church. Here was found, neatly stacked, an immense collection of mediaeval skulls and bones, which had been disinterred from time to time when fresh graves were dug. In 1910 the heap was carefully re-stacked after thorough scientific examination had been made. The number of bones changes on different bits of information. Some say 590 skulls and 8000 bones, and some say 2000 skulls and 8000 bones, all dating back to the 14th and 15th century.

I hope there is not too much text to read through, sorry if I bored anybody! The church is open for views, and the ossuary is occasionally open, mostly on Saturdays. Small donations are welcomed.

Onwards & upwards with the photo's:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4780502802_ebe1fb9c66.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4780502802/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4779861899_f5d4d75be1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4779861899/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4780489922_694bf61b20.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4780489922/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4780501688_707e3e7e27.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4780501688/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4780497420_39f958dc7e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4780497420/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4780486020_fa2c9445da.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4780486020/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4780481552_363168e629.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4780481552/)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4779845279_686046be38.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryandavies1990/4779845279/)