St Mary the Virgin Church is situated in the village of
Selling, about four miles southeast of Faversham in the Kent countryside.
St Mary's Church stands on a high point in the village, overlooking the waters of the Swale and the North Kent marshes.
It has a fine bell tower affording excellent views over the surrounding countryside.
To view the stained-glass windows of St Mary, visit our
Glass - Selling Church page.
The parish is one of four making up The Downsfoot Cluster.
There are five active churches in the benefice, located in Selling, Sheldwich, Throwley, Badlesmere and Leaveland, all adjoining parishes.
The benefice is part of the Ospringe Deanery, in the Diocese of Canterbury.
History
The earliest mention of a church on this site is in 1054AD, when it was granted to the Benedictine Abbey known as St Augustine’s Canterbury.
The Domesday Book mentions the building also, and in the grand survey of 1086 indicated a church on the same alignment as now, with a chancel, a nave and a tower. However, by 1190 a larger structure had replaced the original, and it is part of this building, namely the West wall, the tower and the chancel that are still standing today.
The nave was rebuilt around 1300 and decorative battlements and windows added around 1450. The monks of St Augustine's, during their 493 years of ownership were responsible for almost every architectural feature that we see today – the graceful pillars and the fine arcaded chancel.
The present church is cruciform in plan comprising nave, central tower, two transepts three chancels and north and south aisles. In the late fifteenth century, the tower was raised one storey higher and was given additional support with arches in the perpendicular style.
There was little alteration then until the middle of the nineteenth century, except for the removal of the stone altar, a rood loft and chancel screens, and the erection around 1700 of a singers gallery at the west end of the church.
In the 1840s and 1850s, various improvements and adaptations were carried out, and an organ was placed in the West Gallery (see music at Selling) - later being moved to its present position in the South Transept by 1850. In 1852 the West porch was rebuilt and a South porch was added. The West gallery too was removed and replaced by an elaborate mural monument under a Gothic canopy.
Who's who at Selling Church
Priest-in-Charge: Revd Martin Webb
martin@webb.lcbroadband.co.uk 
01227 750144
Lay Minister: Mrs Jenny Duncan
Churchwardens:
Mrs Sue Griffiths
Mrs Christine Jones cmjones.selling@googlemail.com
Organist and choirmaster: vacant
PCC Secretary: John Garner