Charles Hayward stored casks of brandy in the ceiling and the roof of the Middle Church which was built in 1829 but which had to be pulled down in 1874 as unsafe because the weight in the rafters had pushed the side walls out of the perpendicular.

The story has come down to us in the diary of the smuggler’s grandson who was used as a lookout.

An illustrated booklet entitled ‘A Langton Smuggler’ which records all the details is published by the Society.