---
title: "St Mary, Brook"
description: "Located in Brook, Kent. Built 1096–1107 for Prior Ernulf of Christ Church, Canterbury. Diocese of Canterbury. Grade I. Norman (Westwerk tower) style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Kent","Brook","Grade I","Norman","Wall Paintings"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/st-mary-brook"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T01:24:07.104Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-08T18:58:22.087Z"
location: "Brook, Kent"
country: "England"
county: "Kent"
town: "Brook"
address: "The Street, Brook, Kent, TN25 5PF"
postcode: "TN25 5PF"
built: "1096–1107 for Prior Ernulf of Christ Church, Canterbury"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["Mary"]
diocese: "Canterbury"
grade: "I"
style: "Norman (Westwerk tower)"
materials: "Flint, in parts herringbone, with Quarr and Caen stone dressings; plain tiled roof"
website: "http://www.wyebenefice.org.uk/"
openingHours: "Sorry, there are no regular opening times for this church."
parish: "Brook"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1232974"
gridReference: "TR 066 442"
accessNotes: "Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby"
---

# St Mary, Brook

St Mary’s is a Grade I parish church on The Street, Brook, near Ashford, Kent, in the Diocese of Canterbury. Historic England and local histories describe it as an unusually complete late-eleventh-century church, long associated with Christ Church, Canterbury.

## Overview

The listing dates the fabric to 1096–1107 for Prior Ernulf of Christ Church, Canterbury. Walls are flint, in parts laid herringbone, with Quarr and Caen stone dressings and a plain tiled roof. The plan is chancel, nave with nineteenth-century north porch, and a massive three-stage Westwerk tower whose ground area is virtually as great as the nave, with a south-east stair turret. A fifteenth-century two-light west window sits in an eleventh-century outer arch. The south doorway is a blocked eleventh-century opening.

Inside, a tall rebated tower arch has rope-moulded abaci. A complete spiral stair leads to a first-floor chapel with three finely moulded arches on the east wall and twelfth-century painting of Christ blessing. The low chancel arch stands on imposts. Twelfth- and thirteenth-century wall paintings survive in nave and chancel, with medieval encaustic tiles. Brook Parish Council notes a Domesday church and attributes the tower to Ernulf about 1097. The building remains an active parish church in the Wye Benefice.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1232974](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1232974)
- [British Listed Buildings: Church of St Mary, Brook](https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101232974-church-of-st-mary-brook)
- [Brook Parish Council: Brook Church](https://www.brookparishcouncil.gov.uk/community/brook-parish-council-18454/brook-church/)