It is not known how many churches have been in Eastchurch, but we do know that, in 1194, the church of Eastchurch was donated to the Abbey of Our Lady of the Dunes (Ten Duinen) in Koksijde, in present-day Belgium, by King Richard I (Lionheart). This was because the Abbot had been instrumental in securing the King’s release from captivity in Austria. This may have been the first church, but this is uncertain as there had most probably been an earlier wooden church at least. The reason the King was under the patronage of the King an secondly that the Rector at the time, William of Sainte-Mère-Église, stepped down and was then consecrated as Bishop of London. This would suggest that Eastchurch Church was some sort of importance.