Hornton Kirby is also an unusual church because of having a cruciform plan with large monumental crossing arches. This suggests that the laterr 12th century at leats it was one of the most important churches in the Darenth valley. Along with the monumental crossing, are two contempary transepts wich each had two alters set in their own recesses in the East wall. This is a smaller version of the Eastern transepts of Rochester Cathedral. The use of bar-stopped chamfers and deep-moulded abaci also refelect the Eastern arm of Rochester Cathedral, and some of the masons marks ars similar in both places. The chancel may also have been of the same date, but unfortunatly it was demoshlised and rebuilt in a shorterned form in 1821. The three lancets on either side in their rebuilt form also cointain elements of later 12th centurywork. The chancel was orignally nearly twice as long and had six lancets on each side. Externally the lancets aisled nave was replaced by the present 31 feet wide nave in the later 14th century. It was been suggested that th earthquake was responsible for this, but this seems unlikly as the cross tower showa no obvious signs of cracking. A combination of nave being in poor condiction, and "block death" depopulation, could also prehaps suggested.