St Martin of Tours, Detling and Holy Cross, Bearsted (including AGM)

Our next meeting is on Saturday 18th July.  We start at 2pm at St Martin of Tours, The Street, Detling, ME14 3JT, a Grade I-listed church mostly of the 13th century.  The organ, originally in the Congregational church at King Street, Maidstone, was transferred to Detling in 1973 and re-voiced by Browne’s in 1995 to make its scale more acceptable in its smaller new surroundings.

                We continue to Holy Cross, Church Lane, Bearsted, ME14 4EE, another Grade 1-listed church, where our member Christine Tate will introduce the 1965 instrument by Mander, originally built for the Carnegie family on the Isle of Jersey and donated to Holy Cross in 1972.  The instrument was re-built, enlarged and re-positioned in 1986 by Browne’s, and further work was carried out in 2012.

                The visit at Bearsted will be followed by our Annual General Meeting, of which separate notice is being circulated to all members, and the usual tea.

                Bookings for this day should please reach Kevin Grafton not later than Saturday 11th July.  As usual, we will do our best to honour dietary requirements for tea.  The usual meeting charge of £8 will apply (exact cash welcomed); cancellations after 11th July will, we regret, be chargeable.

                Please note that if you are driving to Detling from the Maidstone direction, it is recommended that you come off the A249 at Bearsted Road roundabout, continue along Bearsted Road past the crematorium, and left into Hockers Lane after about a mile to reach the village.  Crossing the A249 at Detling is extremely hazardous.  From the east or west on the M20, come off at junction 7, drop down to Bearsted Road roundabout on the A249, then left (signed to crematorium) and as above.