Friends of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin

The trust launches on the 8th of October.

A small group of like minded people have come together who share a common view that this historic church should be maintained for the benefit of generations to come, as it has been for over 700 years.

Where historic buildings form part of our heritage it is desirable to sustain and enhance them – this is certainly true of this church. By doing we will seek to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of local history and the past by capturing evidence from the church and making this information more publicly available.

The small group have therefore formed a charity for this purpose which I will refer to as ‘The Friends’. We shall be launching the scheme in the church on Saturday the 8^th of October from 9 am – this will coincide with the regular porch sale. Current members of the Trustees will be available to explain the charity and give mini guided tours of the church. Accompanied children will be able to take part in a quiz. Refreshments will be available.

We would like YOU to become a member of “The Friends” charity through annual membership. Further details including a membership application form can be obtained from me on:

Tel: 01634 366113 or Email: lewing135@tiscali.co.uk

Gerry Lewin - Chairman of ‘The Friends’
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Upchurch Best Kept Garden Competition 2011 Results

Well done to Mr. & Mrs. Panter.

Winners in each category are:

Flowers                                92 Chaffes Lane    Mr. & Mrs. Tandy & Mr. Bass

Flowers/Shrubs                   16 Wilkes Close    Mr. & Mrs. Panter

Hanging Baskets/Troughs    31 Forge Lane      Mr. & Mrs. Pollard

The overall winners of the Barbara Webb Trophy for 2011 are Mr. & Mrs. Panter.

The awards will be made at 3:15 pm during the Upchurch Horticultural Society September Show in Upchurch Village Hall to be held on Saturday the 3rd of September which opens to the public at 2:00pm.

Mrs. Christine Madden, sister of the late Barbara Webb has kindly agreed to present the awards.

Judging took place around the 23rd of July of the gardens that could be seen from the front of houses in every part of the Parish.

This year prizes were sponsored by Upchurch Parish Council.

Gerry Lewin on behalf of the competition committee

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Upchurch Twinning Group Sports Day

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The Upchurch Twinning group welcomed 48 residents of our twinned village of Ferques last Saturday 27th August together with a good contingent of Upchurch people, either to play the sports and games or as spectators at our Recreation Ground and Scout Hall.

We also enjoyed a lovely barbeque at lunchtime and the French finally left us about 3:45pm, having been in Upchurch since 9:30am.

The day was appreciated very much by the French people who have sent their thanks to us and said how much they enjoyed their day in Upchurch.

Sue Rossiter

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UHS 2011 September Show

Come along to the Village Hall on the 3rd.

The Upchurch Horticultural Society 2011 September Show takes place on Saturday September the 3rd at the Upchurch Village Hall.

Doors open to the public at 2:00pm for:  Flowers – Fruit – Vegetables - Domestic & Craft. There's also Refreshments – Tombola and Raffle too.

The presentation of prizes for the Best Kept Garden Competition will be at 3.15pm followed by the sale of produce at approximately 3:45pm.


Maxine Budden
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Upchurch Scarecrow Competition 2011 Results

This years Scarecrows entered for the Competition were judged yesterday and the winners announced at yesterdays Farmers Market. In case you missed it here's who won the prizes:

1st - Leonard family, Horsham Lane with "Bo Peep Crow"

2nd - Rose family, Crosier Court with "Surf Crow"

3rd - Paul Walker, Oak Lane with "Biking Crow"

And under 11's winner - Matthew & Adam Sellings, Jubilee Fields with "Herb Garden Crow" 

They all won WHSmiths book vouchers !


A big thanks to everyone who entered this year and to Anne Marie and Sophie for doing the organising, Judging and supplying the prizes too !


Pictures will be in either the Medway News or the East Kent Gazette next week.


Upchurch Matters
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Upchurch and the Great Plague of 1665

Memories of Upchurch

The Great Plague which eventually killed over 7,000 people in South-East England had an impact on Kent with towns like Chatham and Rochester badly affected. In early August 1665 100 houses were infected in Chatham while from April to December 500 burials took place in Rochester. Rural parts of Kent were not so badly hit as the black rat which carried the disease thrived in urban areas. Although exact reasons are not recorded, the Upchurch parish registers show that while only six parishioners died in 1665 the figure increased to 14 in 1666. This rise paralleled the county trend as 1666 was the worst year in Kent for plague mortality rates. Elizabeth Foreman, John Lille, Richard Barnett, Thomas and Richard Emerton were some of the Upchurch residents to die.

Swale villages took action to combat the plague. Domestic and farm animals were kept off the streets to prevent the disease from spreading, meetings of more than 38 people except prayer meetings were prohibited and ‘Pest Houses’ were set up for the sick. Those infected in their own houses had to be quarantined for 40 days and a red cross was painted on front doors to warn others. After this infected houses were kept under observation for 20 days and the red cross was replaced with a white one to suggest caution. Headaches, sores, armpit swellings, skin blotches and sneezing were symptoms of the plague. A contemporary children’s nursery rhyme Ring a Ring o’ Roses, describes how people were affected. People carried posies in their pockets to ward off the disease, no medical cure existed and the dead had to be buried in a separate part of the churchyard and covered with lime.

Upchurch residents also suffered fatal diseases in other years with 24 deaths in 1634 and 27 in 1688. The worst figure took place in 1637/1638 when 59 died out of a total population of just over 200 people. The cause was described as a malignant fever that hit Kent and Sussex. Bouts of plague and ague, a form of malaria, caused Upchurch vicars to be non resident from the 1560s to the early 19th century.

According to hearth tax returns of 1664, at about the time of the Great Plague, Upchurch was a poor village with a church and vicarage in a state of disrepair. Four serving Upchurch vicars died during the period 1609 to 1641, the last being John Messenger who was buried in the churchyard.

The people of Upchurch were a varied bunch during the 1660s and according to existing hearth tax returns 40 occupied dwellings existed in the parish. These show that William Forby lived in the vicarage house but part of it had collapsed. Gentlemen included Joshua Coppin and Henry Frere while widows included Susannah Wood, Jane Bing, Alice Smythe and Widow Brewer from Otterham. Other residents included Edward Hadlow from Gore and Richard Hubbard from Otterham.
Although the plague lasted for 15 months during 1665/1666, diseases of various types continued to affect villages like Upchurch until the early 20th century.


David Wood, who was born and raised in Upchurch, is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village.

David Wood's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk  price £12 + p+p £2.

David Wood

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