Staple: Church history, historic buildings and circular walks

Staple combines a focus on church history with historic architectural features, circular walks and an annual event. If you are looking for a hotel in Staple, these themes can guide your plans: St James and its furnishings, the architectural history of Crixhall Court, walking routes and the Staple Country & Craft Fayre.

Church history and historic buildings

St James in Staple is essentially a church dating from the early 14th century and is listed Grade I. Its octagonal font is designed in the Perpendicular style. The bowl bears symbols of the Evangelists; wild men and lions are depicted on the stem. The shape and decoration form part of a single piece of church furnishing: the octagonal shape is complemented by an iconographic programme spread across the bowl and stem. In this way, the church’s construction date and a specific detail of its furnishings offer distinct ways to explore the history of the village.

About 10 metres south of St James, the lychgate stands in the church grounds. It is a Grade II* listed timber-framed structure with a simple tiled roof. Crixhall Court is also Grade II* listed and is a house dating from the 16th and early 17th centuries. In chronological terms, Crixhall Court is considerably later than St James, whose construction is generally dated to the early 14th century. The listings also differ: St James is Grade I, while the lychgate and Crixhall Court are Grade II*.

Fayre and circular walks

The Staple Country & Craft Fayre takes place every year on the last Sunday in June. The date is therefore determined by a rule based on the month, rather than a fixed calendar date. If you would like to plan your stay around the Fayre, check the date again before making your travel plans.

Several circular walks start from St James in Staple, covering a radius of 3 km and a little beyond. The church provides a link between the walking options and the historic focus, without making them the same activity. This lets you treat architectural history and outdoor exercise as distinct parts of your stay.

Viticulture and visitor experiences

At Barnsole Vineyard, growing its own grapes goes hand in hand with making wine in a purpose-built winery. Visitors can tour the vineyard and see how the wine is made; a wine tasting is offered afterwards. This provides an insight into the process from grape growing to the finished wine, with the tasting following the tour. A 20-minute mini wine tour is also available. This duration applies to the mini tour and gives you a specific guide when planning. Production details and visitor experiences may change, so check the latest information before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Bredgar, Wye, Ringwould, Sittingbourne, Upchurch, Goudhurst, Elmsted, Birchington

For the wider travel guide: Kent.