The village originated around the village church and this area is now usually referred to as East Brabourne. The original village has been outgrown by Brabourne Lees, a development on former common land, closer to the A20 and M20 roads. The western part of the parish is a rural area with scattered farms.
Church
The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Blessed Virgin; there is also a Zion Strict Baptist Chapel in Brabourne Lees. The church of St. Mary is a building of stone, in the Norman and Early English styles, and has a tower which was restored in 1923-24, containing six bells, increased to eight in 2002. There are numerous monuments to the Scott family, some brasses and several stained glass windows, one of which contains very early glass; the church affords seating for 200.[citation needed] The restoration was carried out by Sir Gilbert Scott.[2]