Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Pre 1145 church with later medieval alterations Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1878

Monument Types

• MINSTER? (CHURCH, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 450 AD to 700 AD)
• KEEP (KEEP, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 72945902] St. Peter's Ch. [NAT] (1) The church at Aylesford has a Norman south nave and a tower of the same date. There was originally an apsidal-ended chancel but this has been replaced by the present square-end chancel. The north half of the church is 14th century. (2) The ford at Aylesford was of great importance and the Normans erected a small castle to defend it. The keep forms the lower part of the present church tower. (3) Additional ref. to tower having been defensive. (4) The church is in use, for ecclesiastical purposes. Within, a tablet gives a list of vicars dating from 1145 AD. GP AO/59/7/2 from the S.W. (5) In normal use. (6) Church of St Peter. Grade B. Parish church. The church has an oblong plan, divided by 15th century pillars and arches, those between the chancels being smaller. The tower to the west of the nave is of Norman design. [For full description see list]. (7) Church of St Peter, Church Lane, Aylesford. Grade I. Church. C12, C13, C14, C15, restored in 1878. [For full description see list]. (8) St Peter. Sizeable unbuttressed west tower of rubble ragstone. Norman except for the Perpendicular top stage. Three original windows in the west and south walls, four in the north. Ragstone church of nave and north aisle of a width as great; chancel and north chapel continuing the aisle, but with a lower roof. Rood-loft stair turret to the south east of the nave. There are various renewed Decorated windows, and two original ones in the north aisle. South porch of 1852. Is the doorway actually copied? The wind-blown stiff-leaf would be evidence of late 13th century activity. Altogether the restorer of 1878 was pretty heavy-handed - he spent 3500 pounds (PF). Late Decorated arcade and west arch of the north chapel perpendicular nave arcade of five bays, with a section of four shafts and four hollows and two centred arches. It must replace an earlier arcade of the same length. Sir Thomas Colepeper 1604. Tomb-chest with recumbanct effigies. Small kneeling children below. Mainly remarkable because the colouring of the figures is apparently original with no touching up. (9)

Description from record TQ 75 NW 317:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
AYLESFORD CP CHURCH LANE TQ 7259 (north side) 11/28 Church of St Peter 25.8.59
- I
Church. C12, C13, C14, C15, restored in 1878. West tower, nave with south porch, north aisle and vestry, chancel to nave and chancel extension to north aisle. Uncoursed ragstone rubble. 3-stage tower, C12 for first two stages with 3 original round-headed windows in west face and 4 in north face; C15 third stage with string below and string above, below crenellated and coped parapet. Pointed arch west doorway with moulded surround and boarded and ribbed door. 3-window nave with south porch between first and second windows from left and with embattled octagonal stair-turret for rood-loft at right end. Decorated windows, renewed in 1878. C14 north aisle with 3 windows, original to left. Chancel of C15 with two windows. North chancel lower and C14 in date with two original windows, that to right blocked. Interior: 5-bay arcade between nave and north aisle. C15, with hollow chamfers, shafts and plain capitals. Tower arch of similar date. Timber-braced and trussed roofs with ashlars on wooden cornices in-nave, north aisle and chancel. Fittings: mostly proprietary, dating from 1878. Monuments: Brass with figures of knight and lady; John Cosyngton, d.1426. Tomb chest with recumbent effigies. Colour possibly original. Sir Thomas Colepeper, d.1604. Marble aedicule with arch over containing pedestal and urn flanked by figures and gadrooned sarcophagus below with reclining figure on it; Sir John Banks, d.1699, perhaps by John Nost. Listing NGR: TQ7293959032 (12)

<1> OS 6" 1938-48 (OS Card Reference). SKE48355.

<2> Arch J 62 1905 183 (Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE36662.

<3> Memorials of Old Kent 1907 (J T Perry) 329 (OS Card Reference). SKE46881.

<4> A Saunter thro' Kent 3 1901 74 (C Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32837.

<5> F1 ASP 20-MAY-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42208.

<6> F2 ASP 19-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43136.

<7> DOE (HHR) Malling RD Kent May 1950 5 (OS Card Reference). SKE40601.

<8> DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge and Malling Kent 1987 12-17 (OS Card Reference). SKE40402.

<9> The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 138-139 (OS Card Reference). SKE50224.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 75 NW 24 - May, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3877.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 75 NW 24 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3878.

<12> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<13> Diocese of Rochester (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1994, Aylesford, St Peter and Paul: Diocesan church survey
Aylesford, St Peter and Paul: Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29594.

Sources and further reading