Here are two brasses, one of 1408
to John Lambarde, the rector in Chaucer's day, the other of 1530 to
Sir John Dew. In the north aisle we may find certain ancient paintings
the best preserved of which represents the Madonna and Child.
The north aisle of the chancel is not at one with the church; it was
built in the early sixteenth century by the Wilshyre family as their
Chantry. Here lies Sir John Wilshyre, Governor of Calais in the time
of Henry VIII. The glass everywhere is unfortunately modern.
One leaves Stone church with regret; it is so fair and yet so
hopelessly dead that one is astonished and almost afraid. Less than a
mile along the road, to the north of it one passes Ingress Abbey,
where once the nuns of Dartford Priory had a grange. The present
house, once the residence of Alderman Harmer, the radical and
reformer of our criminal courts, was built of the stone of old London
Bridge.
Here upon the high road one is really in the marshes by Thames side;
but a little way off the highway to the south on higher ground stands
Swanscombe and it is worth while to see it for it is a very famous
place.
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