Church of St Clement, Old Romney

St Clement’s Church stands in the quiet village of Old Romney in Kent, built on an artificial mound to keep floodwater away. The first church here dates from the 8th century, though the present building mostly comes from the 13th century, with later additions. It has a nave, chancel, north and south chapels, and a small tower with buttresses in the south-west corner. The church is listed Grade I and is dedicated to Saint Clement, a successor to Saint Peter in Rome. The interior holds 18th-century box pews and a late 18th-century gallery supported by Doric columns. The font, from about 1300, is square with an octagonal pillar and carved capitals. In the north chapel’s chancel stands a medieval altar stone found during 1960s renovations. The Royal Arms of England, dated 1800, hang over the chancel arch, and early 18th-century altar rails and 17th-century wooden panels line the sanctuary. The churchyard contains the grave of film-maker Derek Jarman. The building has been restored several times, most notably after damage in 1959 and further work funded by the makers of the 1963 film Dr Syn. The nave roof and tower were repaired, and the rood staircase doorway and hagioscopes were uncovered. The simple flint walls and steep roof give the church a plain, sturdy appearance against the flat Romney Marsh landscape.