Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1066 to 1540. The Church of St. Nicholas, New Romney, shows evidence of at least four building periods in the 12th century with further extensions in the 13th and 14th centuries. St Nicholas was the mother church of the town - its dependent chapelries being the parish churches of St Martin and St Lawrence.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (CHURCH, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 02 SE 1 :
(TR 06622475) St Nicholas's Church (NAT) (1) The Church of St. Nicholas, New Romney, shows evidence of at least four building periods in the C12th with further extensions in the C13th and C14th. (2) In normal use. (3) 1449 Church of St Nicholas, Church Road (South East side). TR 0624 1/49 28 8 51 Grade A. This is the only surviving church of the five (three parish churches, the Priory and the hospital) that existed in New Romney in the Medieval period. The 3 lower stages of the tower and 4 bays of the nave date from circa 1160-70. The 2 upper stages of the tower with the corner turrets and octagonal parapet (or remains of spire) are circa 1200. The easternmost bay of the nave, the chancel and the aisles of the nave are C14. Piscina and triple sedilia in the chancel and both aisles. Early C14 recess in the North Chapel having a depressed arch with big cusping and a frieze of large 4 petalled flowers. Brasses. Box pews. (4) The church of St. Nicholas, New romney, has a particularly fine Norman door with triple door-jamb shafts richly ornamented. An immense flood in 1287 raised the remaining area so that the C13th aisles and the C14th chancel are built on a higher level. (5) For a Norman church to be enlarged eastwards in the C14 is not an unusual procedure, but when the work of both periods is as splendid as it is here, and the junction made thus bodly, the result is magnificent indeed. The scale of the church matched New Romney's importance as one of the Cinque Ports. Ambitious Norman church built c1160-1170, aisled and richly arcaded on west front. Of this, four bays of the nave remain. Short piers which are alternately circular and octangonal. The tower is of fine stages with the stump of a stone spire. The most curious feature of the tower is that it is clasped by narrow aisles, producing three tower arches, which show that the aisles were no later additions. In the early C14 four new bays were added to the east to made a chancel as wide as the nave, and much wider aisles. (6) The parish church of st Nicholas is one of the most interesting buildings in Kent. (7) Originally a small aisless church, with a small chancel. This was enlarged by the addition of aisles and a probably extension east wards,and the building of the arcade. The tower was then built, but it is not of one date. All this took place before the C13, when the church was enlarged further by widening the aisles and extending the chancel. (8) In and from C13, St Nicholas was the mother church of the town - its dependent chapelries being the parish churches of St Martin and St Lawrence. (9) Additional bibliography - not consulted. (10)

In 2011 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out a watching brief on the access ramp on the north side of the church. 25 burials were disturbed, some possibly dating from the earliest phases of the use of the churchyard. Burials appear to have been focused around a possible late medieval brick tomb. (12)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 1449 CHURCH ROAD (SOUTH EAST SIDE)
church of St. Nicholas
TR 0624 1/49 28.8.51
I
2. This is the only survivubg Church of the five (three parish mchurches, the Priory and the Hospital) that existed in New Romney in the Medieval Period. The 3 lower stages of the tower and 4 bays of the Nave date from circa 1160-70. the 2 upper stages of the Tower with the corner turrets and octagonal papapet (or remains of spire) are circa 1200. Tthe Easternmost bay of the Nave, the Chancel and the Aisles of the Nave are C14. Piuscina and triple sedilia in the Chancel and both aisles. Early C14 recess in the North Chapel having a depressed arch with big cusping and a frieze of larege 4 pettled flowers. Brasses. Box pews. Listing NGR: TR0653224750 (13)

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

<2> Arch Cant 37 1925 197-200 plan (F C Elliston Erwood) (OS Card Reference). SKE35052.

<3> F1 CFW 20-MAR-1963 (OS Card Reference). SKE42670.

<4> DOE (HHR) Boro of New Romney Kent 1973 3 (OS Card Reference). SKE39886.

<5> Arch Cant 88 1973 120-1 illus (E W Parkin) (OS Card Reference). SKE35927.

<6> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 432-434 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37892.

<7> Arch Cant 42 1930 258-259 (OS Card Reference). SKE35114.

<8> JBAA 30 1924 43-44 (P H Ditchfield) (OS Card Reference). SKE44940.

<9> Arch Cant 13 1880 466-479 (W A Scott Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34702.

<10> Country Life 14 427 (OS Card Reference). SKE39404.

<11> Field report for monument TR 02 SE 1 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5056.

<12> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2011, Archaeological watching brief at St Nicholas' Church, Church Road, New Romney (Unpublished document). SKE24853.

<13> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Related thematic articles

• Medieval Kent (Thematic Essay)