Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1883. Church - 12th/13th C. (1523 additions).

Monument Types

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

Full description

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Description from record TQ 96 SW 26:
[TQ 9272 6296] St. Lawrence's Church [NAT] (1) The church of Bapchild is dedicated to St. Laurence, and was probably a nave with north aisle only, half the length of the present building ,erected about 1120. The Normans later doubled the length of nave and aisle, and added a chancel and aisle. The north chapel was built by the Early English people and connected with the chancel by the in-building of an arcade into the late Norman wall. They also added the tower, which was possibly at one time in the nature of a transept of the chancel as the old stonework of the arch still remains inside the tower: now used as the vestry. The porch was built in 1523 and the south door is dated 1596. [Full architectural description follows.] List of vicars 1188-1917. (2) The church is at present in normal use. GP/AO/59/221/8. Church from south-east. (3) Re-investigated: still in normal use. (4) [TQ 9272 6296] Church [NAT] (5) Parish Church of St. Lawrence, Grade I, School Lane (west side). 12thcentury with 13th century spire, south porch c. 1525, restored 1872 and 1883. (For full description see list.) (6) Church of St. Lawrence: pleasing outside and in, for restoration has always been a matter of bits and pieces. There is evidence of Norman work in parts of three windows in the east wall and another Norman window in the west wall of the north aisle. The broad, unbuttressed tower with a tall shingled spire stands south of the east end of the nave and is probably of early date. The only post-Norman addition is a gabled north chapel, with debased Perpendicular windows and deep buttresses. The form of the windows could even be 17th century but the steep pitch of the roof and traces of a blocked doorway make it certain that the chapel is much earlier than these outward signs. The brick south porch dates from c. 1533. The interior is much more striking. (7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 96 SW BAPCHILD SCHOOL LANE (west side)
2/3 Church of St Lawrence
24.1.67 I
Parish church. C12 with C13 spire, south porch c.1525, restored 1872 and 1883. Flint and rubble with plain tiled roof, brick porch and shingle spire. Nave with north aisle, chancel with north chapel, south tower and south porch. Fenestration of heavily restored C16 Perpendicular windows apart from single round headed west light in north aisle, south-west lancet in aisle and 3 lancets on south wall of chancel. Blocked western window, and remnants of east window of triple round-headed lancets, the centre raised Diagonal buttresses to chancel and chapel, 3 offset buttresses to chapel north wall, 2 hipped dormers to north aisle and blocked northern and western door- ways. South porch with diapered brickwork on weathered and moulded plinth. with bargeboarded gable. South door with strap hinges, dated by graffiti to at least 1596, in double hollow chamfered surrounded. South tower with blocked western doorway and blocked eastern arch; angle vice to west and broach spire. Interior:nave arcade of 4 round unmoulded arches on octagonal piers with scalloped capitals. Central piers is doubled in width. Plastered roof with 2 crown posts. Hollow moulded doorway to south to external vice. Plain chamfered chancel arch. Lean-to north aisle with pointed keel-moulded arch to north chapel, on moulded impost with carved-leaf corbels. Chancel with 3 bay arcade to chapel, pointed keel-rolled arches on round piers with square abaci chamfered at corners with paired and stiffly upright debased acanthus motif. c.1200, based on the 1175 work at Canterbury Cathedral. Remnants of C12 triple east window jambs over C16 east window with capitals of missing attached shafts either side. Part plastered wagon roof. Blocked arched opening to south tower, with double hollow chamfered and role moulded doorway. South tower with blocked eastern arch with piscina, once leading to an apse. North chapel with arcade on north wall, 4 keel-moulded arches on free-standing shafts with waterholding bases and carved leaf capitals. Discontinuous string course decorated with cinquefoils, and evidence of 4 lancet windows to north, blocked and replaced by C16 windows, and blocked and replaced east window originally of lancets. Part plastered part panelled wagon roof. Fittings: angle piscina in north chapel, the frieze of the eastern repsond of chancel arcade is carried back and over the piscina, with 2 roll moulded arches with central shaft, the capital carved as with chancel arcade (the same distinguishing motif used at Doddington, Milstead, Frinsted and Murston churches). Aumbrey in chancel east wall. C13 painted reredos of the Crucifixion in chapel. Restored C15 rood screen now stored in north chapel. C17 octagonal pulpit; brass chandelier of 12 sticks and central torch finial; inscribed: Bapchild 1746. C18 and C19 box pews. Fragentary medieval and C17 paintings, including double orb and date 1989 over chancel arch. Single Perpendicular niche in nave over central arcade pier, sone fragmentary glass and tiles in north chapel, east winsow in chancel by Warrington 1865. (See B.O.E. Kent II, 1983, 132-3).
Listing NGR: TQ9281963081 (10)

Historic England Archive material: BF061530 ST LAWRENCES CHURCH, BAPCHILD 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.
OS59/F221/8 ST LAWRENCE'S CHURCH, BAPCHILD - FROM SOUTH EAST.(11)

<1> OS 6" 1938-47 (OS Card Reference). SKE48354.

<2> A Short History of the Parish of Bapchild 1926 29-32 (H F Lord) (OS Card Reference). SKE32913.

<3> F1 ASP 24-JUL-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42261.

<4> F2 AC 11-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43055.

<5> OS 1:10000 1980 (OS Card Reference). SKE48166.

<6> DOE (HHR) Kent Boro of Swale 21 March 1985 2 (OS Card Reference). SKE40574.

<7> The Buildings of England North East and East Kent 1983 132-3 (J Newman ed N Pevsner) (OS Card Reference). SKE50184.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 96 SW 26 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4953.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 96 SW 26 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4954.

<10> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<11> ST LAWRENCE'S CHURCH, BAPCHILD - FROM SOUTH EAST. (Photograph). SKE1435.

Sources and further reading