Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1889. This is a mainly 12th century church, with a 13th century chancel and and extenisive 19th century remodellinng including a brick built upper West Tower. The lower West Tower, however, has Roman tile used on corners, a much-weathered Norman chevron door arch and hints at an earlier Saxon build. St Marys is now a redundant church.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 96 SE 27:
[TQ 9923 6313] St. Mary's Church [NAT] (1) St. Mary's, Luddenham, is remarkable for the length of the nave and chancel. The west doorway is Norman with chevron moulding. The chancel windows are Early English. There is a modern red brick tower.(2) The church is in normal use (3). Checked and correct (4). Church of St. Mary, Grade I. Redundant parish church. 12th century, 13th century chancel, west tower rebuilt 1807, restored 1881-1884, south porch 1889. (For full description see list.) (5). Roman brick used in lower part of tower revealed by loss of render also large ragstone blocks in NW corner. Base of tower and W end of nave poss Saxon date (6). Additional references (7,8) and site photographs (9-12).

A programme of works was undertaken by the Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group in 2011. The distribution of graves within the churchyard was recorded, the building materials visible in the fabric of the church were surveyed and a resistivity survey was carried out along the north side of the building to locate the former position of the church tower which collapsed in 1806/7. Much reused Roman material was recorded in the walls. The foundations of the lost tower were subsequently exposed. These were found to contain medieval tile and reused Roman material, included roller stamped Roman flue tile. (13)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 96 SE LUDDENHAM + OARE LUDDENHAM
1/170 Church of St. Mary 24.1.67
GV I
Redundant parish church. C12, C13 chancel, west tower rebuilt 1807, William Moss, restored 1881-1884, south porch 1889. Rendered flint and rubble with some re-used Roman brick, red brick tower and plain tiled roof. Chancel, nave, south-west tower and south porch. Lower stage of tower C12, with Roman tiled quoins. Battlemented upper stage. C12 west doorway with zig-zag moulding. Nave with C14 cusped lancets or C19 lancets. Chancel stepped in and down from nave, with paired lancet east window and 2 lancets in north wall. Exposed quoins of C12 chancel (extended eastwards C13). Interior not inspected at time of survey. Listing NGR: TQ9928262480 (14)

Historic england archive material: BF051875 ST MARYS CHURCH, LUDDENHAM File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate.

<1> OS 6" 1906-38 (OS Card Reference). SKE48316.

<2> Kent Little guides 1935 6th Edition 206 (J C Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE45923.

<3> F1 ASP 07-JUL-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41981.

<4> F2 CFW 23-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43273.

<5> DOE (HHR) Kent Boro of Swale May 1986 64 (OS Card Reference). SKE40583.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 96 SE 27 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4916.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 96 SE 27 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4917.

<8> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Site visit April 1996 DC Eve (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<9> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9617.

<10> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11379.

<11> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11380.

<12> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11381.

<13> Faversham Society Archaeological Research Group, 2011, The Lost Tower of Luddenham, Luddenham Church, Ludenham, Near Faversham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE18077.

<14> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<14> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1991, Luddenham, St Mary: Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29434.

Sources and further reading