
The church of St. Peter
and St. Paul, Horndon on the Hill is a Grade I listed building, situated on
top of a hill, possibly on the site of a Saxon church.
The present building dates from the 13th century. The
walls are predominantly of Kentish ragstone and rubble
with some brickwork. The windows and doors are dressed
with Reigate and other limestone.
The church takes its name from the
Apostles Peter and Paul and the villagers celebrated
their feast on 29th June with an annual Fair granted by
Royal Charter by King Edward I. The annual feast and fair
on the last weekend in June was revived in 1974.
An avenue of polled lime trees lead
to the much restored 15th century porch. The church has a
13th century doorway. The nave, aisles and chancel are
largely unchanged over the last 700 years and all show
evidence of 13th century workmanship. The nave is
separated from the aisles by 4 bays . Some columns are
cylindrical; some hexagonal. Some have plain capitals;
others have decorated capitals with carvings of foliage
etc. There were formerly extensive paintings visible on
the columns and walls above the arcades, but now only
small patches of colour remain.
Over the north arcade are two
clerestory windows as old as the church. Over head is an
18th century roof supported by two15th century king-posts.
The church is dominated by massive oak beams supporting
the 15th century bell tower. There is a modern lectern on
a brass dome.
The floor of the nave consists
mostly of memorials to members of local families of the
17th and 18th centuries. One of the memorials has a
mistake on it. It shows the lady's age as 303 instead of
33.
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