Church of St Laurence, Ramsgate

St Laurence’s Church stands in the quiet town of Ramsgate on the Isle of Thanet in Kent. Founded in 1062, it is the oldest church in the town and a Grade I listed building. Until 1275 it served as the abbey church for the whole district, taking on many duties from the older Minster church nearby. In the 12th and 13th centuries the chancel and side aisles were added as the building grew. A lightning strike in 1439 destroyed much of the church, after which the tower was rebuilt to its present height.

The church became a separate parish in 1826 when Ramsgate expanded and St George’s Church was built for the growing town. Among the notable people connected with the church are Sir William Garrow, a leading advocate who shaped modern legal practice. Admiral William Fox, who fought in the American War of Independence, is buried in the churchyard. John Collis Browne, inventor of the bromide nerve tonic, also lies here.

The churchyard covers three and a half acres and holds more than 1,400 graves, the oldest dating from 1656. A striking feature is the d’Este mausoleum built for Queen Victoria’s cousin Augusta d’Este and her family. Inside the church the rebuilt tower rises above the nave, and the 13th-century aisles still show their original stonework. The peaceful churchyard offers a place to walk among gravestones and admire the simple dignity of this ancient building.