Vicars & Rectors of St Stephen’s Church, Hackington
The Church was part of the ancient possessions of the See of Canterbury until A.D. 1227, in which year Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury appropriated it to the Archdeaconary his brother Simon being then Archdeacon. The benefice has been in the gift of the Archdeacon of Canterbury from that date to the present day.
| Year of Institution | Name | Year died / resigned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert | d. 1282 | ||
| 1282 | John of Elmstede | ||
| 1284 | Adam of Reygate | ||
| 1311 | William of Wells | ||
| 1333 | John of Byweston John of Bereford | d. 1365 | |
| 1365 | William Cook | d. 1365 | |
| 1366 | Simon of Braighton Peter Crasfield | ||
| 1417 | Thomas Moome | Afterwards Provost of Wingham | |
| 1420 | Walter Trethewy | r. | |
| 1423 | Hugh Gaynesburgh William Daventre | r. 1427 | |
| 1427 | John Gower | d. 1457 | |
| 1457 | John Creek | d. 1462 | |
| 1462 | William Swaldale M.A. | r. 1471 | |
| 1471 | John Deve | d. 1473 | Burried in the Nave where a brass to his memory remains |
| 1473 | Simon Hoigges or Hogges, L.L.B. | d. 1490 | Also Rector of Great Mongeham |
| 1490 | Thomas Cottebury John Roo | d. 1522 | The Chancel Screen was erected during his Incumbency by Archdeacon William Wareham |
| 1522 | John Haryson | d. 1545 | |
| 1545 | William Lotte | deprived 1557 | |
| 1557 | Thomas Nicholles | ||
| 1568 | Richard Coste | d. 1594 | Also Minor Canon of the Cathedral |
| 1594 | Valentine May | d. 1604 | |
| 1604 | Edward Hurst S.T.B. | r. 1612 | |
| 1612 | John Tavener, M.A. | d. 1615 | |
| 1615 | James Hurst, M.A. | ||
| 1642 | John Goff, D.D. | Also Rector of Norton. He was ejected from his benefices by the Parliamentarian Party in 1646 and from that year until the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660, Richard Culmer and Robert Beak officiated in the Church. | |
| 1661 | William King | d. 1682 | Also a Six Preacher of the Cathedral |
| 1682 | John Blaickley, M.A. | d. 1699 | |
| 1699 | John Bradock, M.A. | d. 1719 | Also Master of Eastbridge Hospital, and a Six Preacher of the Cathedral |
| 1719 | Simon Hughes, M.A. | Also Rector of Smarden | |
| 1728 | John Coppins, M.A. | d. 1731 | |
| 1731 | Thomas Leigh, M.A. | r. 1733 | |
| 1733 | Thomas Buttonshaw, M.A. | r. 1734 | Also Rector of Brookland |
| 1734 | John Bunce, L.L.B. | ||
| 1787 | Allen Fielding, B.A. | Also Master of Eastbridge Hospital, and a Six Preacher of the Cathedral | |
| 1823 | James Hamilton, M.A. | Also a Six Preacher of the Cathedral | |
| 1840 | John White, M.A. | d. 1879 | Buried in the Chancel |
| 1878 | Ashton Oxendon, D.D. | r. 1885 | Sometime Bishop of Montreal |
| 1885 | Fredrick H. Hichens, M.A. | r. 1906 | Canon of the Cathedral |
| 1906 | Philip Somerville, A.K.C. | r. 1920 | |
| 1920 | Charles Stonehouse, M.A. | r. 1927 | |
| 1928 | Wilfred E. Watkins | r. 1936 | |
| 1936 | Arthur R. Barnes | r. 1960 | |
| 1960 | Roland C. Desch, M.B.E., A.K.C. | r. 1967 | |
| 1967 | A. Edward Pearce, A.K.C. | r. 1987 | |
| 1987 | Dr Michael John Chandler | r. 1995 | Later Canon of Canterbury Cathedral and subsequently Dean of Ely Cathedral |
| 1995 | Philip Roy Down, M.A. | r. 2002 | Later Archdeacon of Maidstone and subsequently Archdeacon of Ashford |
| 2003 | Dr Justin Lewis-Anthony | r. 2014 | |
| 2015 | Dr Kevin Maddy | r. 2023 | |
| 2024 | Dr David Vannerley | (Interim Priest-in-Charge) |