Set back from the road passers-by would never know that inside the All Saints Church in Tudeley, just outside Tonbridge, you will find some of the most stunning original pieces of Chagall stain glass artwork. The Russian-French artist is one of the most influential modernist artist of the 20th Century famed for depicting fiddle playing goats, donkeys, floating ladies and vivid colours – if you have seen the Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts film Notting Hill you will be familiar with his La Mariée painting.
Following the death of their daughter in 1963, Sir Henry and Lady D’Avigdor-Goldsmid commissioned Chagall to design the stained glass windows in her memory. The Goldsmids once owned Somerhill House, the 400+ year old Jacobean mansion that looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie set and is now home to The Schools at Somerhill. The church is open every day except Sunday until 4pm, Five Oak Green Road, Tonbridge TN11 0NZ. All Saints Church is part of the churches of Capel United which includes the disused St Thomas à Becket church in Capel (open daily to visitors).
There are plenty of country and riverside walks around Tudeley and the Poacher & Partridge (part of the Elite Pubs group) is a short distance from the church offering open fires, Sunday roasts, seasonal menus and a woodburning pizza stove. Four legged friends are also welcome in the bar area.
You can find the directions here and checkout our instagram pages for more stunning photos!
