TQ 85 NW BEARSTED CHURCH LANE (east side) 6/3 Church of The Holy Cross 23.5.67 I Parish Church. One arch possibly Saxon. Rest C13,C14 and C15, restored in C19. Rag stone with plain-tile roof. West tower, nave, south porch, south vestry, chancel, north aisle. 3-stage west tower on plinth with diagonal buttresses, south east stair turret and crenellated parapet. 3 beasts on the parapet, all restorations. C15 belfry openings. South porch has C15 stoup to right of door into church. C13 lancet window in south wall of nave immediately west of porch. Re-used C15 east window to C19 vestry. C13 lancet window in south wall of chancel. Window at north-east end of aisle has a 2-light window with ogee heads to the lights, a flat-headed trefoil light between the two shoulders and a hood-mould over with label stops. C14 windows in centre and at north-west end of aisle, also with hood-moulds and label stops. Interior: 4-bay north arcade; 2 west bays with early C14 hollow chamfers and round piers, 2 east bays rebuilt in C15. Remains of an arch with a throughstone at west end of arcade, C12 or earlier (J. Newman, "West Kent and the Weald", 1969, 1980 edition). Roof over east end of aisle canted, ribbed and boarded, with moulded cornice, rest C20. Inner architrave of central window in south wall of nave has 2 slender attached columns on either side with bell capitals and bases. Lancet window in chancel has crocketted impost. Rood loft stair in south wall of nave.Sedile and piscina with shoulders and a flat top, C13. C19 panels and pews at east end of nave and aisle. Monuments: Stone tablet with brass panel bearing inscription, brass coat of arms and elaborate achieve- ments, in east wall of north aisle, to "Henrye Brockill of Aldington neare Thurnham Esqire", died 1596. Stone tablet with brass figures and inscribed brass panel at east end of north wall of north aisle, to Susanna Cage, died 1634; signed I.C. Wall monument in east wall of aisle to Elizabeth Andras, first wife to Sir Thomas Fludde of Millgate, undated, early C17. Monument against north wall of tower to Doctor Robert Fludd, died 1637; bust on an inscribed plinth with corniced top and moulded base. Stone tablet on east inside wall of south porch to "Steven Mason late Cytezen and Vyntener of London and Margarete hys wyfe..", Margarete died 1552, no date for Steven, (Vintners' shield above inscription); slender attached columns with moulded capitals and bases supporting four-centred arched head with carved spandrels and hood-mould over. 2 plain floor tablets at east end of north aisle to Eleonor, John and Guillemo Cage, late C17, stone, with coat of arms, in good condition. Listing NGR: TQ8005655732