St. Peter and St. Paul, Dymchurch

St. Peter and St. Paul church is a Norman church built in 12th Century around 1150 - it claims to be virtually unchanged for 700 years. 

The north aisle was extended in 1821 when the nave was re-roofed leading to an uneven look. 

Its font is rumoured to have had an interesting life - from being thrown into a ditch by Protestant dissenters, used as a pig trough and being used as a garden roller to having a lockable lid by order of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1256 to stop witches stealing the holy water. Found and restored by the Elliott family in the early 20th Century it now has a more sedate existence. 

The graveyard has a number of gravestones displaying the skull and crossbones design. The burial ground surrounding the church is actually three separate burial grounds. The space at the front and side is owned and managed by the Diocese of Canterbury, the cemetery at the side by the community hall was owned by Shepway Council (now Folkestone & Hythe Council) and the ground at the rear is owned by Dymchurch Parish Council. 

Inside the church there is a memorial to Russell Thorndike (1885-1972) who is a British actor and novelist best known for his set of seven novels based on Doctor Syn of Romney Marsh. The novels have had three film adaptations, a theatre production, audio books and even comic book adaptations. Doctor Syn is also one of the name of a steam locomotive at the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. 

The church is still active and holds a Sunday service.