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 700 to 1894. Church. 8th century nave and chancel. Extended circa 1200. Restored 1894 by Ewan Christian. Flint and plain tiled roofs. Nave, north aisles chancel and sanctuary, south porch and vestry.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1894 AD)

Full description

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

Description from record TR 34 NW 3:
[TR 31074588] St. Peter's Church [NAT] (1) The Church of St. Peter, Whitfield, is late 10th century and later. (2) In normal use. (3) (TR 31074588) St Peter's Church. The Saxon church of Beuesfeld knownsince the sixteenth century as Whitfield. The church now consists of a nave, with north aisle and south porch, a small chancel, with north aisle and south vestry, and an aisleless sanctuary. (See illustration card) Baldwin Brown describes this church as "an excellent example of a small Saxon nave-and-chancel of the Third Period" 'the later part of the tenth and early eleventh century'. The fabric of the early nave and chancel at 'Whitfield is almost wholly of flint, stone being used only in the west window and in a fewother isolated places such as the large blocks in the south-west quoin. Two of the original Saxon windows have survived. The church was enlarged in the second or third decade of the twelfth century but this Norman aisle was destroyed in the early thirteenth century. Early English alterations were made. The church was restored by Ewan Christian in 1894. (4,5,6,7) Brief mention of Whitfield church. (8) Notes on the Saxon church at Whitfield and others in Kent. (9) Listed in Archaeological Gazetteer. (10) Church of St. Peter, Church Whitfield Road. Grade II*. C8 or C10. Extended c.1200. Restored 1894. (11,12) [For full description see list].

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 34 NW WHITFIELD CHURCH WHITFIELD ROAD north side 2/87 Church of St. Peter
GV II*
Church. C8 or C10. Extended C.1200. Restored 1894 by Ewan Christian. Flint and plain tiled roofs. Nave, north aisles chancel and sanctuary, south porch and vestry. Blocked west doorway (flint jambs visible) and small round headed gable light, with rebated head of single block of stone, both probably C8 features. Restored C12 lancet cuts into doorhead. Flint jambed double-splayed window above south porch exposed remains of arcade in south wall. Double lancet and roundel east window to north aisle, otherwise C19 fenestration throughout. Porch,north aisle and chancel all C19, with shingled bell turret. Interior C8 nave and chancel, with exposed remains in south wall of C12 arcade to demolished south aisle, with round piers. Simple tall round headed chancel arch altered 1894, with surviving round arched opening on round responds with scalloped capitals (part of south arcade now to C19 vestry) in Saxon chancel, with simple pointed arches to north aisle and second chancel (originally C13, rebuilt 1894). Two bay arcade from nave to north aisle, C19 with double chamfered arches on round pier. C19 roofs. Monuments Lucy and George Stringer (1821 and 1839), large black and white wall monument as a neo- classical aedicule with oval plaque and urn over; Harriett Stringer- Latham d.1825, white wall plaque as a sarcophagus with reeded side pieces and pediment over the C13 bell said to be oldest in Kent. The church since 1971 has been reorganised, with centralised plan, the altar now in north aisle, facing south, the old chancel and sanctuary now vestry/school rooms. (See BOE Kent II 1983, 495; Church guide, 1986, Joyce Molyneux).
Listing NGR: TR3096845911 (15)

<1> OS 6" 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE48367.

<2> MHLG (2045/11/A) September 1960 26 (OS Card Reference). SKE46981.

<3> F1 ASP 20-MAY-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42209.

<4> Arch Cant 40 1928 141-158 (GM Livett) (OS Card Reference). SKE35086.

<5> Anglo-Saxon Architecture 2 1965 655-56 (HM Taylor and J Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE33088.

<6> Anglo Saxon Architecture 3 1978 800 834 964 (HM Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE33075.

<7> The Arts in Early England 1925 485 (G Baldwin Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE50092.

<8> Architecture of Anglo-Saxon England 1976 178-179 1976 (DM Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE37352.

<9> Arch Can 21 1895 301-307 (EP Loftus Brook) (OS Card Reference). SKE34486.

<10> Arch of Kent 1930 254 (RF Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE36906.

<11> The Buildings of England North East and East Kent 1983 495 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50208.

<12> Church Guide 1986 (J Molyneux) (OS Card Reference). SKE38964.

<13> DOE(HHR) District of Dover 1987 39 (OS Card Reference). SKE41138.

<14> Field report for monument TR 34 NW 3 - May, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5928.

<15> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Related records