“A vicarage worth one hundred pounds per annum?” a woman in a bright pink jacket whispered loudly to her companion. “Imagine what that would be worth today!” We stand before Kemsing Library, a modest building that belies a rich and tumultuous past. You see, this library occupies a site steeped in history, intertwined with the very fabric of Kemsing itself. Long before the gentle hum of turning pages filled the air, this land echoed with the whispers of centuries past. This very spot was once part of the glebe land belonging to the vicarage of Kemsing. In 1650, during a time of great upheaval and change in England, a commission was established to assess the value of church holdings. This humble vicarage, with its tithes and house, was deemed to be worth a considerable sum. Although we can only glean snippets of its story from the historical records, it’s fascinating to imagine the lives lived and the stories told within these very boundaries. Hold onto that thought as you browse the shelves of Kemsing Library. Each book, with its own unique tale, becomes a thread woven into the grand tapestry of this historic site.
Southfields Methodist Church
Curiosity stirred within the heart of Southfields as a new chapter began. Southfields Methodist Church held its first public service