St Laurence-In-Thanet Church, Ramsgate — Attraction in Thanet

St Laurence Church is the oldest building in Ramsgate, dating back to around 1062. It was founded as a chapel of ease to Minster Abbey, which was the main religious center in Thanet at the time. The original church was quite simple, consisting of just a nave and tower. However, it was extended in the 12th and 13th centuries to include a chancel and side aisles. In 1439, the tower was struck by lightning and had to be rebuilt. The townsfolk raised the tower to its present height, even though this made it more likely to be struck by lightning again. However, fortunately, this has not happened since. The interior of the church is a mix of Norman, Early English, and Victorian styles. The nave arcade has Norman arches around the central tower, supported on large Norman pillars. Some of the capitals are carved with small devil's heads. The stained glass windows are mostly Victorian, but there are some earlier examples, including a window depicting the martyrdom of St Laurence. St Laurence Church is a Grade I listed building, which means it is considered to be of special historical or architectural interest. It is a popular tourist destination, and it is also used for regular worship services. Here are some other interesting facts about St Laurence Church: The churchyard contains the graves of several notable people, including Sir William Garrow, a famous lawyer, and Dr. Collis Browne, the inventor of chlorodyne. The church was used as a hospital during the Napoleonic Wars. The church was damaged during the bombing of Ramsgate in World War II, but it was restored to its...

We were married here some 50 years ago so returned for a visit whilst we were in the area. Very disappointed that the church was locked and that all the churchyard was so overgrown. Not a welcoming place I'm afraid and we were very...

Very nice place, always friendly people there. And kept very well 😊 we do a lot of work there, as we are just down the road. Feel free to check us out ROBERTS...