Women & Children First for 925 Year Old Church
St Mary's Church in Addington celebrates its 925th anniversary of worship this year, but its parishioners say the church's forward thinking approach has kept the congregation going from strength to strength.
Steeped in tradition and history, it seems ironic that the Baptist church's fastest-growing area of parishioners appears to be from the younger generation.
Image: St Marys in 1885
Bruce Males, husband to St Mary's vicar Reverend Jeanne Males, said: "At a service on Tuesday evening, there was a considerable number of teenagers who attended, which might seem surprising when you think of recent reports that church attendance is decreasing.
"On the contrary. Baptist churches have seen congregations grow by 50 per cent in recent years.
"Our church is very old, very beautiful and I'm sure people must think we are very traditional, but we are very progressive.
"My wife Jeanne is the church's first female vicar in 900 years, for example. We weren't sure how the congregation would react but she's been welcomed with open arms."
Rev Males was appointed vicar 18 months ago having been church curate for over four years before that, and spoke of St Mary's heritage in its anniversary year: "The actual church itself isn't 925 years old, but this has been a place of worship for 925 years at least. There is a wonderful sense of that when you walk in."
While Addington Palace became home to the Archbishops of Canterbury, St Mary's became their place of burial. An impressive memorial marks their resting place.
Image: A memorial to past Archbishops of Canterbury
"We have five archbishops buried here which is beaten only by Croydon Parish Church. Only just though, they have six."
Mentioned in the Domesday Book, Addington's St Mary The Blessed Virgin was founded in 1080 and is associated with the Archbishops of Canterbury specifically in the 19th century.
The site is considered so historic it has its own heritage society exploring and recording historical and social events that took place in the parish.
One society member is Lindsay Ould, whose family have worshipped at St Mary's for six generations. She said: "On Christmas Day 1881 my great great grandmother and her brother were both married here in a double wedding.
"There are still three generations of my family who worship here; myself, my mother and my daughter.
"This church means a lot to me. I'm very involved m the heritage society and really enjoy preserving the parish's history.
"My husband and I are no longer together and I'm on my own but this church has a strong sense of being a big family and it's a wonderful feeling,"