[TR 27044126] St. Mary's Church [NR] (Site of) [NAT] (1) The Church of St. Mary of the former parish of Poulton is mentioned in Domesday and was standing in 1523. It was served by the canons of St. Radegunds Abbey [TR 24 SE 8]. There are now no remains of the church but a stone marks the site. The stone which was probably set up by Sir Thomas Edolph c. 1645 says "Here did stand the parish church of Poulton mentioned in Domesday Boke IX under the title of Chenth in the hundred of Bewsborough". Before the last war pieces of human skull were found S. of the stone whilst trenching for a water main. In 1954 W. C. Woodhouse dug a trial trench 2.0m W. of the stone and discovered human remains lying E-W together with coffin nails at a depth of 1.3m, but no evidence of a building was found. (2-7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation: (8)
TR 24 SE HOUGHAM POLTON 4/76 Stone marking the site of St. Mary's Church (The Polton Stone) II Stone marking site of St. Mary's Church, Polton. C18. About 2 feet high with rounded head. Inscription in simple lettering: Here did Stand the Parish Church of Polton IX mentioned in Domesday Book under the title... The last 2 lines now illegible, but recorded elsewhere as ... of Chenth in the Hundred of Bewsborough The Church still had bequests made to it in 1533, and a curacy in 1563. (See I. Green, Bygone Kent 4, 4 May 1983, p.298).
Listing NGR: TR2736640330 (8)

<1> OS 6' 1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE48299.

<2> History of Kent 3 1790 363-4 (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44110.

<3> Churches of Kent 1852 134 (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE38983.

<4> MHLG (2045/11/A Sept 1960) 13 (OS Card Reference). SKE46977.

<5> Kent Churches 1954 6 (H R Pratt Boorman and V J Torr) (OS Card Reference). SKE45908.

<6> F1 WCW 27-SEP-54 (OS Card Reference). SKE43045.

<7> Field report for monument TR 24 SE 7 - September, 1954 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5688.

<8> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.