History of the Parish

The BeginningsConsecrationFirst VicarThe VicarageLast Vicars
 

LAST VICARS

Father Ronald Gwyther 1972 - 1989

Father Gwyther took over the plans pertaining to the Church hall and the Narthex seeing them to completion and the vestry was built in his time from donations given from the Parish. St. Mary's had no stained glass in the Church until Father Gwyther's time and he arranged for this work to be undertaken. Each window has a dedication that can be seen in the window itself. The first, which was recently damaged by vandalism and is still under repair, was anonymously donated by Mrs. Grace Frenay, a former Churchwarden and Headmistress at St. Mary's School. This information about the dedication to the window only came to light when Father Gwyther was in conversation recently with the current Vicar. Mrs. Gwyther was very active in Parish life running many organisations and was held in the same great esteem as Mrs. Woodward, a former Vicar's wife. Father and Mrs. Gwyther retired to Fareham in Hants where they still live.

The Reverend Peter Edwards 1989 - 1994

Father Peter Edwards took up the incumbency following a period of years in Lusaka as Dean of the Cathedral.

He was to leave in 1994 and was succeeded by the Reverend Michael Brundle current Vicar of Swanley.

The future holds ambitious plans for a major improvement to the hall facilities to make the Church more accessible to the community by providing a daily lunch club, facilities for young people in the early evenings as well as continuing affordable hall provisions for the many community orgainsations which use St. Mary's at present.