Cowden, Kent

Description
Cowden, a parish in Kent, on a headstream of the Med-way river, at the boundary with Sussex. It has been described as " one of the prettiest villages in Kent," and has a station on the L.B. & S.C.R., 29 miles from London, and 7^ W of Tunbridge Wells, and a post, money order, and telegraph office under Edenbridge. Acreage, 3260; population, 676. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Canterbury; value, £313 with residence. The church is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, and dates at least from the year 1320, when the present building was erected on the site of an older church which was destroyed by fire. There were a large number of altars and shrines in the old church. The high altar is and has always been that of St Mary Magdalene. The massive roof timbers and tower are worthy of notice. The pulpit is of oak, Jacobean, dated 1628. The hour-glass is still in situ, placed in a holder of old Sussex wrought-iron work, mounted upon a miserable cast-iron modem bracket.