Copyright Kent Past 2010
Kent Past
The History of Kent
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History of East Sutton
East Sutton comes from the Old English ‘sūð’ meaning ‘south, southern’ with ‘tūn’ as an ‘enclosure, a farmstead, a village’; therefore, a ‘south farm/settlement’. The prefix ‘east’ distinguishes it from, neighbouring, Sutton Valance.
East Sutton parish church is a Grade: I listed building, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The Normans built the church around 1150, although mostly rebuilt in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. In 1614, an unknown founder cast and hung a tenor bell in the tower. John Waylett cast an additional five bells to total six in 1719. In 1723, Samuel Knight recast the 1614 bell. In 1798, Edward Hasted described the East Sutton church as a ‘large building, and has a square tower at the west end of it. It is kept remarkably neat, and in good repair’. The Victorians carried out a substantial restoration in 1898, removing much of the plaster from the walls.