People still wanted to spend money on All Saints in the 1470s, because several bequests survive from that time; but after a brief flurry of enthusiasm at the restoration of the CofE in 1660, it fell into disuse, and by the mid-18th century was a ruin. The walls of the nave and chancel must have been pretty quickly carted away for building materials, because there are several 18th century headstones where the nave used to be (the ruin sitting, as it does, in the graveyard of neighbouring St Mary).

All Saints is a rather brooding presence above the roundabout where the roads from Norwich, Yarmouth and Beccles meet. Rather puts a crimp in the jollity of Macdonalds across the road. The ruin of All Saints - I'm lovin' it.

Despite its forbidding appearance, the site is completely accessible, and you can stand under the tower with its Tudor brick arch. Further, and sad to say, it is the only one of Gillingham's three churches that I found open.

Simon Knott, January 2005

Gillingham All Saints Gillingham Our Lady Gillingham St Mary