Nonington: Churches, Country Houses and Walks

Nonington offers several perspectives: medieval church architecture, the building histories of two country houses, and two self-guided walks with stated durations. When looking for hotels in Nonington, these themes can help you plan your stay according to your interests. Historic buildings offer clues for focusing on architectural styles and history, while the walks provide specific information on duration and difficulty. This allows you to weigh up whether you would rather explore building history or set aside time for a walk.

Church architecture at the Church of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church dating from the late 13th century. It was restored in 1867 and 1887; both dates refer to later work, not its original construction. Its distinctive spatial feature is a continuous arcade from the nave and chancel to the north aisle and chapel. An arcade is a row of arches. Here, it connects several named areas of the church. These offer two complementary perspectives: the construction date and restorations place the church in its historical timeline, while the arcade describes a specific architectural connection. If you are interested in church architecture, the arcade provides a precise point of focus; the restoration dates add a later chronological context to the building’s history.

The building histories of the two St Albans Courts

Old St Albans Court is dated to 1556 and was extended by George Devey around 1876. At St Albans Court, by contrast, 1875–1878 is the construction period: the Elizabethan-style country house was built during those years by Devey for William Oxenden Hammond. George Devey therefore appears in both building histories, but in connection with different projects: an extension at Old St Albans Court and the construction of St Albans Court. Pay attention to the name Old when comparing them: the date and extension relate to Old St Albans Court; the style, construction period, and patron refer to St Albans Court. St Albans Court and its grounds were used as a teacher-training college from 1938 to 1986. This use adds another clearly dated historical phase to the building information and includes the grounds.

Walks in Fredville Park and St Alban’s Downs

Fredville Park covers 100 hectares of woodland and parkland. The self-guided walk through the park is listed as an easy route lasting 45 minutes. The self-guided walk through St Alban’s Downs is listed as a moderate route lasting 90 minutes. This gives you the choice of a shorter, easy walk and a moderate walk that takes twice as long. Duration and difficulty are two separate factors to consider when planning your day. The figure of 100 hectares describes the landscape, while 45 minutes refers to the duration of the walk. Trail conditions and markings may change; check both before setting off.

For Fredville Park, some areas of the grounds may also be private. The access information for Fredville Oak states that it is on private land and is not open to the public. Check this information again before your trip. When planning, consider both the possibility that parts of the park grounds are privately owned and the separate access information for Fredville Oak.

Discover more destinations: Sissinghurst, Willesborough, Boughton Aulph, Queenborough, Sevenoaks Weald, Snodland, Tonbridge, Charing

For the broader travel overview: Kent.