History of Holy Cross
The Tower and the Beasts
	The Church of Holy Cross stands on the hill a little apart from the village green (claimed to be the oldest cricket ground in Kent), around which most of the older houses cluster. From the Green one looks to the South East to catch a glimpse of the tower. The tower is the most noticeable external feature. Typically Kentish in style, it is the newest part of the Church, dating from the middle years of the 15th Century. On the three corners of the parapet are perched stone animals which for many years were the subject of argument. They are now thought to represent a lion, a panther and a griffin. Derived from the mediaeval bestiaries or books on natural history, these creatures symbolise the Cross of Christ, the Church being dedicated in the honour of the Holy Cross. The carved beasts - and very likely other parts of the Church - are all probably the work of a local school or guild of masons, for many years established in Bearsted under the direction of the Bertie or Barty family. Thomas Bertie later left Bearsted, and in 1532 was Master Mason of Winchester Cathedral. Barty House* remains in the village. Many books on Kent describe the animals on the tower as bears, and say the name "Bearsted" is derived from them. Not only has the name been shown to be much older, but the beasts have little resemblance to bears! * Part of the Parish of Bearsted today is known as Barty, including Barty House.
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