Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1899. Church - 12th-14th C. (16th century additions).

Monument Types

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

Full description

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Description from record TQ 96 SW 37:
[TQ 9342 6403] St. Giles' Church [NAT] (1) The church of Tonge, St. Giles, consists of nave and aisles, with 14th century king-post embracing the aisles; early 13th century tower at east end of south aisle; chancel with blocked 13th century arches to flanking chapels now destroyed, largely rebuilt in brick in the 16th century. The chancel arch is a modern copy of the 13th century arch to the tower with its finely carved corbels. The north arcade of nave is c. 1160, with one fine drum column and square piers having scalloped capitals. The south is 13th century repaired in brick and plastered. (2) The church is at present in normal use. GP/AO/59/221/7 church from south-west. (3) Parish Church of St. Giles, Grade I, Church Road (east side). 12th and 14th centuries, restored 17th/18th century and 1893. (For full description see list.) (4) St. Giles' Church, like a barn, the tiled roof of the nave sweeping down over narrow aisles almost to the ground. The walls are flint, patched in brick. The chancel is all brick, part 16th century and part, perhaps, 18th century. The south porch is modern, with a renewed 14th century doorway. Evidence of Norman work is found inside- the four round arches of the north arcade and the west arch of the south arcade. The rest of it looks early 13th century, with the tower and chancel arches possibly 14th century. Restoration of 1873 introduced a certain austerity. (5)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 96 SW TONGE CHURCH ROAD (east side)
2/176 Church of St.Giles
24.1.67 I
Parish church. C12 and C14, restored C17/C16 and 1893 (£150). Flint, with red brick buttresses and chancel and plain tiled roofs. Nave and aisles, south tower and south porch. Nave and aisles under one roof. West door with triple hollow chamfered surround, and large C14 3 light west window with intersecting and cusped tracery; brick corner buttresses. C19 timber framed porch, with roll moulded and chamfered south doorway. South tower with twice offset corner buttresses with rectangular external vice to south west and single lancet lights. North aisle with 3 brick buttresses, jambs of blocked north doorway, and 3 gabled C19 dormer windows. Chancel west bay with single lancet to south, and blocked 2 bay arcade to north, the eastern bays rebuilt with red brick on medieval flint and ragstone base, with C17 2 light mullioned brick windows, and C19 east traceried window. Interior: C12 nave north arcade, 4 bays with unmoulded round arches, with 2 square and 1 round pier, the latter with spurred base and scalloped capital;south arcade with blocked round arch to west, and 2 chamfered and pointed C13 arches and square pier. Large buttress separates the arcade from the tower arch with C14 double chamfered arch on moulded octagonal corbels. Nave with roof of 3 crown posts beam ends on corbels to south. Tower with blocked eastern arch. Chancel arch a C19 copy of the tower arch. Chancel with part exposed jambs of blocked arcading. Fittings: early C16 rood screen of 5 bays with cusped panels, and cusped tracery with crenellated and sloping transoms and attached shafts with crenellated caps. Seven sided C17 pulpit with incised lozenge decoration and 2 attached wrought iron candle brackets. Box pews. Fragmentary C14 St.Christopher scene painted on north wall of nave (See B.O.E.Kent II, 1983, 479-80). Listing NGR: TQ9343863589 (6)

Additional bibliography (7-8)

Photographs (9-13)

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

<2> Kent Little Guides 1950 7th Edition 280-281 (J C Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE45928.

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

<4> DOE (HHR) Kent Boro of Swale 21 March 1985 68 (OS Card Reference). SKE40581.

<5> The Buildings of England North East and East Kent 1983 479-80 (J Newman ed N Pevsner) (OS Card Reference). SKE50206.

<6> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<7> ST GILES CHURCH, TONGE FROM THE SOUTH (Photograph). SKE2575.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 96 SW 37 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4966.

<9> 1985, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11323.

<10> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11325.

<11> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11319.

<12> 1985, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11321.

<13> 1985, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11322.

Sources and further reading