All Saints Church, Ulcombe

All Saints Church stands in the village of Ulcombe in Kent. Built in the 12th century, it is a Grade I listed parish church with a tower added in the 15th century. The church shows work from every century since, with a 19th-century vestry on the south side of the tower. Inside, pointed arches and carved screens divide nave, aisles and chapels. The roofs are mostly 19th-century boarded work, while the north chapel keeps its early 16th-century moulded timbers. The church is worth the journey for its layered history and fine details. The tower’s three stages carry battlements, gargoyles and a stair turret with matching parapet. The south aisle’s 13th-century wall is buttressed and topped by a plain parapet with a moulded string. Inside, the nave arcade uses 13th-century pointed arches on piers that include a reused 12th-century column. Wall paintings survive in several places, including a depiction of St Michael defeating Satan. A visitor finds a quiet building rich in features. The chancel’s east window is 13th century, with a central light taller than the sides. The north chapel, called the St Leger Chapel, holds stained glass in memory of the St Leger family. Memorial brasses commemorate local figures such as Sir William Maydeston and members of the Belcher family. Outside, ancient yew trees stand in the churchyard, one said to be over two thousand years old.