Victorian
Among the architects who left their mark on Leigh, few can match the contribution of George Frederick Bodley, who was born in Hull in 1827, the son of a doctor. His path into the profession began at eighteen, when he was articled to Gilbert Scott, whose ecclesiastical practice was the largest in the country. The two families were already connected by marriage, as Scott's brother had wed Bodley's sister. By 1854 Bodley had established himself in independent practice.
Although Bodley never built a church anywhere in Kent, his influence on Leigh Church is considerable. The interior work he carried out there in 1892 took in the screen, linen-fold chancel panelling, oak pews panelled in the south chancel, and an alabaster reredos. In 1901 he returned to design the vestry, created as a memorial to Thomas Sturgess of Parkholt, who served as agent to Lord de L'isle.
Bodley's reputation in the area did not stop at Leigh. Two years after his work here, Penshurst Church received a chancel screen from his drawing board, a more ornate affair than the one at Leigh. Indeed, no other Kent church can boast so much of his craftsmanship as Leigh can.
Other architects also worked in the village. Charles Baily rebuilt the nave of Leigh Church, while George Devey was another architect active locally. Ernest George was responsible for three notable designs: Forge Square, South View and The Square.
For those wishing to see a complete Bodley church, the nearest example lies just over the county border. All Saints at Danehill, in Sussex, was built entirely to his designs and is strongly reminiscent of Leigh. A curious feature there is the position of the organ, which Bodley placed on top of the screen.
This article was written by Lawrence Biddle and first appeared in the Parish Magazine in June 1993. It remains a useful reminder of how a nationally respected architect, though he never built a church in Kent, left such a rich legacy of fittings and furnishings in one small village church, work that can still be admired today by visitors and parishioners alike.