St Mary's Church, Dover

St Mary’s Church stands in the centre of Dover, on the site of an old Roman bathhouse. A Saxon church once occupied the same spot, and parts of the present building date from the 12th century. The tower and three arches survive from the Norman period. From the 13th century the church was run by Maison Dieu, a hostel for pilgrims heading to Canterbury. After the Dissolution it closed for a while, then reopened as the town’s main parish church in the 16th century. The church was rebuilt in the 1840s under Canon John Puckle, apart from the tower. J. C. & C. Buckler carried out the work in Early English style, adding taller windows and extra space. The tower itself was restored late in the 19th century. Bomb damage in the Second World War shattered many stained glass windows, which have since been replaced. New windows now recall the church’s links with the town. Inside, eight bells hang in the tower, first cast in 1724 and rehung several times. A memorial inside remembers the victims of the 1987 Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. The oldest parts of the church sit beside later additions, showing its long history in one place.