Copyright Kent Past 2010
Kent Past
The History of Kent
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History of Westwell
Westwell comes from the Anglian word ‘wella’ meaning a ‘spring’; the prefix ‘west’ distinguishes it from Eastwell. The Domesday Book chronicles Westwell as Welle.
Westwell parish church is a Grade: I listed building, dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin. The Normans built the church in the 13th century, with the south porch added in the 16th century. There is a record of four bells, in 1552. In 1798, Edward Hasted described the church as a ‘large handsome building, consisting of three isles, two small chancels, and a high chancel, having a tall spire steeple shingled, at the west end of it. The pillars on each side the middle isle are slim and very beautiful, and between this isle and the chancel they are uncommonly elegant. In the middle window of the high chancel are good remains of painted glass, being four ovals, in each a figure sitting, crowned, with a scepter, and the rest filled with a bordure’. The Victorians added a brick buttress to the south wall of the aisle in 1885.