A list of the priests of the church of All Saints hangs on one of the pillars in the nave. The first recorded name is William de Cirencester, circa 1260, in the reign of Henry III.
Mention was made earlier of Maud de Burghersh, grand-daughter of Stephen de Bokton, and it is interesting to note that Robert de Burghersh, her brother, was Rector of All Saints in 1308.
An inventory of parish churches in Kent dated 1552 refers to the steeple of the church in which bells were hung. This may have been altered or increased in height later as there is indication in the fabric of the tower of additional work being done in 1640. It is thought that there were five bells, the largest being ‘Gabriel’; all were sold after a fire in the tower and the story is that ‘Gabriel’ was melted down for tokens to commemorate the Festival of Britain in 1952. The bell frame still remains in the tower.
In front of the altar rails there are known to have been two monumental brasses. One of these was certainly of a priest but both have long since disappeared. The church registers, which date from 1558, include this note – “February 18th, 1723. The Church Clerk broke the brass effigies of a minister off the gravestone in the south chancel. He was turned out of his place for this crime.” It is presumed the other brass was removed some time before this date.
Two other references in the registers are to vandals breaking into the church in 1552 and 1700. On the first occasion some vestments and altar cloths were stolen, but on the second “they were disappointed of their prey.”
LATER HISTORY
In the mid-fifteenth century the manor of Boughton came into the hands of Sir Walter Moyle, who bought much land in Kent, including the Eastwell estates. Until his mansion was built in Eastwell Park he lived at Buckwell, still to be seen half a mile from the church. Sir Walter’s eldest son inherited the Eastwell Estates and his descendants became the Earls of Winchelsea. The second son retained Buckwell,