St Leonard's Church Hythe Kent

St Leonard's Church
Hythe, Kent

Parish of St Leonard with Holy Cross and St Michael's Methodist-Anglican Church Centre
Diocese of Canterbury

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THE COMMUNITY OF HYTHE
St Leonard’s Church is a grand, old building with a rich history, a fine interior and a fascinating crypt. It occupies a commanding position on the steep hillside above the town and attracts many visitors, in addition to regular members of the congregation. Our parish church is a focal place of worship with a strong sense of mission and outreach within and beyond the community of Hythe.

The community of Hythe has a strong foundation in its civic pride, and there is some overlapping of civic occasions with parish life.
Civic occasions such as Mayor's Sunday or Remembrance Day are marked by services in the church. The ten bells of the church are often rung by our faithful band of ringers on request from the Town Council (see www.hythetowncouncil.gov.uk). Our Vicar is Chaplain to the Hythe Town Council.

St Leonard’s Church has strong ties to the Hythe Bay Church of England Primary School and Children’s Centre (see www.hythebay.kent.sch.uk) and Palmarsh Primary School (see www.palmarsh.kent.sch.uk) and holds regular School Church Days when the older children visit the church to be given an absorbing experience of what the church has to offer. This includes talks on different aspects of what the church is all about, quizzes that lead them to explore fittings and furnishings within the building, various practical activities (including singing), and visits to the bell-tower for a demonstration of bell ringing and to the crypt with its historic collection of skulls and bones. Lunch is also provided and is always popular! Some extracts from thank you notes are quoted below:

Hythe Civic Service 2009 - see photos

Hythe Festival 2008 - see photos

Venetian Fete 2009 - see photos

Remembrance Sunday - see photos

Parish Map

When we went to the church I liked doing all things, especially the singing. I had a fabulous day and thank you. (from Kloe)

I liked the bell ringing best because we all had a go at the big bell. I would like to give a big thank you for putting up with us and making it a really special day.
(from Harry)

When I went to the churchyard I liked looking around the graveyard, seeing the different dates when people died and looking at the different stones.
(by Cameron)

I really liked the bell ringing. It was very low but I enjoyed pulling the ropes. I felt like Tarzan in the jungle. I also liked visiting the crypt and didn’t find it scary at all. (from Nathan)

Thank you for letting us come. We had a great time.
(from Jack)

With its splendid raised chancel, St Leonard’s Church offers the best venue in Hythe - and arguably the area - for the staging of concerts and recitals. A very full programme of such events is organised throughout the year by the Friends of St Leonard’s Church (see link). Local choirs and bands welcome and enjoy the opportunity to perform in St Leonard’s and are always well supported.

Visitors are always welcome to the church and its crypt (the ‘Bonehouse’). St Leonard’s features prominently on the route of the Hythe town guided walks that take place every Thursday morning from 1 May until 30 September (starting 10.30 from the Town Hall).

The Parish of St Leonard’s is in the Elham Deanery (see www.elhamdeanery.org.uk) in the Diocese of Canterbury (see www.canterburydiocese.org). St Leonard’s is an active participant in Churches Together in Hythe & Saltwood (CTHS) (see www.yourcths.org.uk), which unites local churches together in pilgrimage.

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