Deal Spiritualist Church Centre is on the
western side of Mill Hill, close to the St Richard's Road junction.
There was a small gathering of Christian Spiritualists in Deal (mostly
miners' wives) before the Second World War, who used to meet in
each others' houses. After the war, they collected funds in small
amounts until they could afford a building of their own, which
opened in 1952. Refurbishments in 2010 saw the side windows sealed
up and a new entrance fitted.
St Richard's Church Centre is on the eastern
side of Mill Hill, close to the junction with St Richard's Road. It
opened as St Richard's Church, probably in the 1950s, but low parishioner
numbers at the end of the twentieth century faced it with the
prospect of closing down. Instead, the church found a new lease of
life when on 18 February 2010 the Mill Hill Community Centre Group was
launched at the centre. Regular services were still held at the normal times.
Old St Mary's Church in Upper Walmer is more
correctly known as The Church of the Blessed Mary of Walmer. It
occupies a large area of land on the southern side of Church Street which
includes the old churchyard. The nave of the church and the adjoining
manor house were probably built around 1120 by one of the d'Auberville
family. The ruins of the manor house are still visible against the north
wall of the churchyard. The chancel was added in the thirteenth century.
In 1192, Sir William d'Auberville founded Langdon Abbey,
and gave the church to it. After the Reformation it went to the archbishop
of Canterbury. As the parish grew the church became too small. In 1816 the
nave's north wall was demolished and a large, square extension added, but
it was not enough and St Mary's New Church was built in 1888. In 1898 the
square extension was removed and the church restored. The old bell tower
was later replaced by a turret.
Walmer Chapel is on the northern side of Station
Road, opposite the Green. Its date of construction is unknown, but a date
around the 1980s or 1990s would probably be close to the mark. It houses a
small Evangelical Free church which is not attached to any denominational
structure, being fully independent and self-governing. It is probably
affiliated to the FIEC (the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches),
and also plays host to a parent and toddler group.
The Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart is on
the north-east corner of Dover Road and Gram's Road. This Gothic chapel
was part of the Convent of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary which
stood immediately behind the church (on the right here). Founded in 1875
by refugees from Poland and Germany, the main convent building was completed
in 1881, followed by the chapel, designed by Pugin, in 1890. The order left
Walmer in 1971 and the convent was demolished in 1982.