Sutton Valence features [2]

Image: © Michael Dibb Taken: 11 Sep 2021

The churchyard holds a memorial stone to John Willes, who lived in the village. It describes him as the first man to introduce round-arm bowling to the game of cricket. However, no-balled at Lord's for the new style of bowling, he retired from the national game, to take up hunting, shooting and fishing. He is actually buried in Painswick, Gloucestershire. The Anglican parish church of St Mary was built in 1828 replacing an earlier church demolished in 1823. There were alterations in 1866 and 1874. Constructed of coursed stone under a slate roof. Apart from a 15th century font, all interior fittings are 19th century. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1060905 Sutton Valence is a village 5¼ miles southeast of Maidstone and about 13 miles northwest of Ashford. The area was settled in the Iron Age and a Roman road passes through. Known as Sutton until the manor became the property of William de Valence, The village is home to a castle, now ruinous, built in the late 12th century and one of the oldest schools in England, founded in 1576 as a Free Grammar School.

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