Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1180 to 1899. Saints Peter and Paul is an early Norman church which was heavily restored in the nineteenth century. It retains some Norman features and the original tower was round. There are features from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The tower was rebuilt in 1866 after collapse.

Summary from record TR 06 SW 1319:

Grade B listed building. Main construction periods 1066 to 1899

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1180 AD to 1899 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Description from record TR 06 SW 12:
[TR 0002 6031] St. Peter and St. Paul's Church [NAT] (1) Ospringe church contains work from the 12th century to the 19th century. The interior contains 13th century arches separating nave from aisle. The west window is of the Decorated period, and the chancel contains Early English lancets, a Decorated window and two-light Perpendicular window. At the end of the last century, Mr William Hall made a thorough restoration including a nearly complete rebuilding of the tower. The original tower was circular. On the north side of the chancel is a small Norman doorway and within the north porch is another, but the hatchet faced typanum has been spoilt by over-clipping. The walls are of flint with stone quoins. (2) The church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Ospringe, has a Norman doorway on the north side of the chancel, and another Norman doorway to the north aisle. The nave arcades are Early English piercings in Norman walls, so the latter doorway must have been set back. The tower is modern (its predecessor fell while the bells were rung in honour of William III as he passed through the village) and there has been much ill-judged restoration. (3) The church is in normal use. GP/AO/59/196/2 North doorway to chancel from N.E. (4) Checked and correct. (5) Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Water Lane, Ospringe. Grade B. Norman-Perpendicular, but so restored by E. L. Blackburn, 1858 onwards, as to be mostly 19th century. (6) St. Peter and St. Paul: a large church, of flint, consisting of chancel and gabled south chapel, nave and aisles. The Norman north doorway in the chancel, correctly renewed, has shaftswith scallop capitals, zigzag and a roll moulding around the arch. The arcades probably originate from c. 1200. The south chapel, added early in the 14th century has two unrestored south windows. The north-west tower is High Victorian, saddlebacked, with pairs of lancets pushing up into the gable area. It was built in 1866, by Blackburne, at the climax of his drastic reconstruction of the church.(7) Parish Church. Circa c.1200 with chapel and C15 fenestration rebuilt and restored 1858-70 by E. L Blackburne. Flint with plain tiled roof. South chapel, nave and aisles, north west tower and north porch. Tower and integral north porch, with stair turret joining the 2 all built 1866. [Full architectural description] LISTED GRADE II*. (8)

Description from record TR 06 SW 1319:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
WATER LANE, OSPRINGE 1. l103 (North-West side)
Church of St Peter and St Paul TR 0060 11/185 29.7.50. B
2. Norman-Perpendicular, but so restored [by E L Blackburn, 1858 onwards] as to be mostly C19. C19 tower.
Listing NGR: TR0002460314

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 06 SW OSPRINGE WATER LANE (west side)
2/105 Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (formerly listed 29.7.50 under Faversham)
GV II*
Parish Church. Circa 1200, with C14 chapel and C15 fenest- ration rebuilt and restored 1858-70 by E.L. Blackburne. Flint with plain tiled roof. South chapel, nave and aisles, north- west tower and north porch. Tower and integral north porch, with stair turret joining the 2 all built 1866. Saddle backed tower in 3 stages with clasping buttresses and enriched details, particularly around the belfry. North east stair turret, lower stage square, upper stage circular, adjoining porch with Romanesque style doorway of 4 orders with zig-zag and rope moulding and attached shafts. Aisles with battlements and C15 traceried square headed windows. External octagonal vice west of projecting gabled south chapel, with 3 offset buttresses, 2 two-light ogee surround windows with sexfoils in the heads, and chapel east window of 3 reticulated lights. South lancet to chancel, and northdoorway of 3 orders, a roll, zig-zag and billet, with 2 attached shafts. C19 fenestration elsewhere. Interior: Continuous nave and chancel, distinguished only by change in (C19) roof structure. Five bay arcade to south, the eastern-most in the chancel, 4 to the north, the western-most to the tower. Broad chamfered arches on square piers with undercut abaci. Double hollow chamfered arch on octagonal responds with moulded caps from south aisle to chapel, with 1 arch to chancel and 1 to nave. Fittings: chancel, all of circa 1860, altar, brass altar rail, tryptich reredos, choir stalls, organ, polychrome tiles, wall paintings of the 4 Evangelists on east wall, painted black arcading, screen to chapel. Ogee chamfered piscina in south chapel, with corbelled niches with crocketted ogee heads either side of east window, and 2 C19 crocketted and ogee wall recesses. North aisle with doorways to rood stair, and re-sited deeply moulded trefoil headed piscina in south aisle. C12 Bethersden marble font with arcading of 5 shallow arches on each face, on 5 shafts with water holding bases. Pulpit, 1894, octagonal of stone, with heavy stiff leaf and surface ornament, open arcaded sides, and attached shafts of various coloured stones. Box pews. Stained glass: by Thomas Willement in chancel (1852-4) south aisle (1851) south chapel 1858-9, and Clayton Bell (south chapel 1865, nave n.d., south aisle 1871, 1874, and 1885). Monuments: Chancel south wall, wall plaque to Robert Streynsham mid 1630's . Black and white marble, with Latin inscription on plaque and architectural surround of Corinthian columns, cornice and frieze with scrolled cartouche over. Standing monument on north wall to Jacob Master, gent., died 1631, atributed to Edward Marshall (B.O.E. Kent II, 1983, 410). Shrouded, bearded old man on coved and gadrooned sarcophagus with swags to left and right. Semi-circular arched plaque with cofferred soffit, and supports left and right with strapwork and putti. Latin text on plaque, with angel head and shallow relief and painted ribbons and symbols of death and burial achievement over. South chapel wall plaque, Arthur Whatman, died 1678. Black and white marble plaque on moulded base with heavily foliated scrolls and swag, and triple recessed scrolled surround with drapes and fruit, cornice and raised frieze. (See B.0.E. Kent II 1983, 409-10; see also Faversham Papers, No. 15, 1978.) Listing NGR: TR0008960195 (11)

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

<2> A Saunter through Kent 22 1928 20 (C Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32864.

<3> Kent Little Guides 1950 7th Edition 221 (J C Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE45926.

<4> F1 ASP 07-JUL-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41981.

<5> F2 CFW 25-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43279.

<6> DOE (HHR) Faversham Boro Kent August 1972 86 (OS Card Reference). SKE40566.

<7> Buildings of England (ed N Pevsner) NE and E Kent 1983 409-410 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38406.

<8> DOE(HHR)Borough of Swale, Kent. 45 (28.8.86) (OS Card Reference). SKE41252.

<9> Field report for monument TR 06 SW 12 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5284.

<10> Field report for monument TR 06 SW 12 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5285.

<11> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading