The Lost Village of Dode
For more than 900 years, the historic Lost Village of Dode has stood in quiet devotion to the rhythms of human life. Once abandoned and forgotten, this ancient sanctuary—tucked deep within a hidden Kentish valley—has become a place of peace, reflection, and celebration of life.
Here, the circle of life is honoured in all its forms. From the first moments of new beginnings to the milestones that shape us, from unions of love to farewells filled with grace, Dode has long offered a spiritual home for every rite of passage.
If you are seeking a place to belong—a place to be held, to be witnessed, to be at peace—Dode welcomes you. Let this timeless sanctuary nurture you and those you care about, just as it has done for countless generations before, and will continue to do for generations yet to come.
In this truly unique place, you may celebrate every major event of your life, return whenever your heart calls you back, or simply rest in the knowledge that your story will remain part of Dode’s enduring legacy for centuries to come.
Dode Church
For over nine centuries, Dode Church, the spiritual centre of the village, has been a place of peace, worship, tolerance and respect.
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Shrouded in romance and history the church is the ideal venue for a truly unique ceremony. The church has been silently standing guard over the lost village for centuries and is an appropriate place to celebrate the joy of marriage, or the passing of a loved one from this world to the next.
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Our guardians care for Dode with devotion, ensuring that this spiritual place remains preserved, protected, and able to uphold the circle of life for all who seek it. With dignity, inclusivity, and deep respect, they keep the spirit of the village alive—so that Dode may continue to nurture every soul who passes through its doors.
Holly Henge
Just beyond the church lies a quiet ring of standing stones, a modern circle shaped in the spirit of the ancient ritual landscapes that once marked the valleys of Kent. Though newly raised, the circle feels older than its years: the stones catch the changing light, the wind moves cleanly through the gaps, and the valley seems to gather around it in stillness.
Circles like this have long been places of gathering, reflection, and seasonal turning. Here at Dode, the stones echo that tradition — a gentle reminder that people have sought meaning in this landscape for thousands of years. Timeless rites of passage such as civil weddings & partnerships, handfasting ceremonies and baby naming ceremonies take place here, witnessed by time that goes beyond Dode and on to eternity.
Holly Barrow
Nestled into the hillside below the church, the Holly Barrow is a modern interpretation of Britain’s ancient long barrows — a tradition stretching back more than 5,000 years. Created in 2021, it is Kent’s only contemporary barrow, a subterranean chamber of hand crafted stone niches designed for the interment of ashes.
The barrow blends seamlessly into the meadow, becoming part of the earth rather than rising above it. Inside, the air is still and candlelit, a place shaped for remembrance and quiet storytelling. Barrows have always been spaces where the living honour the dead, and Holly Barrow continues that lineage with dignity and tenderness. Its position below the Norman church links past and present: a sacred landscape where ancient ritual, medieval faith, and modern remembrance coexist in harmony.
Ollie's Garden
Tucked away peacefully in our beautiful grounds at The Lost Village of Dode, is a small, secluded area that is reserved for the memorial and remembrance of beloved pets.
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Like so many meaningful things that happen here, a young barn owl’s arrival was unexpected. But Ollie the owl quickly became a much loved member of our little team, delivering wedding rings with style and panache for some seven years. When, sadly, it was time to say our final goodbye, Ollie’s Garden, a pet memorial garden was created in his name.
The loss of our pets touches us deeply and from time to time we have a need to remember the friendship, joy, comfort and companionship that they brought us. Ollie’s Garden provides a garden of remembrance and pet memorial at The Lost Village of Dode, to lovingly scatter the ashes of pets and occasionally return, to quietly sit and recall shared time upon our good earth.​
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