Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Norman, 15thc additions. Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1499

Monument Types

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

Full description

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[TQ 67235913] St. Martin's Church [TU] (1) The church at Ryarsh is dedicated to St. Martin. The church was part of the possessions of Merton priory as early as the beginning of the reign of Henry III [1216-1272.] [Traces advowson to time of writing.](2) The church consists of west tower, nave, chancel, south aisle and modern north vestry. There are 14/15thc. windows in the nave and South asile, with a single Norman round-headed light in the north wall. The chancel has 14/15th c. windows and a Norman light in the north wall. The tower is 15th c; South porch has 15 c windows. There are three blocked-up Norman lights in the chancel east wall. A plan in the porch shows nave and chancel to be Norman fabric, and south aisle, porch and tower to be 15th c. additions. List of vicars given from 1237. The church is in use for ecclesiastical purposes. GO/AO/59/55/8 From West.(3) In normal use. (4) RYARSH 13/1B B Church of Saint Martin Parish Church The original 12th century church consisted of nave and chancel, vestiges of Norman windows being still visible in the east wall. South aisle, porch, and western tower added in 15th century. Interesting features of the interior include a Norman piscina in the chancel, part of the 15th century screen, and some early glass. Jacobean pulpit. (5) St Martin's Church, Ryarsh. Perpendicular west tower and early Perpendicular west window. Diagonal buttress. South east turret, conspicuous with its pyramidal tiled cap. Early Norman nave and chancel, as one tiny north window in each testifies. The chancel east quoins, and part of the nave west ones as well, of tufa; also herringbone north walling-Perpendicular south aisle, with a brick and timber gable. Stone south porch. The two-bay south arcade, however, looks 14th century. Wide chancel arch with similar details. Perhaps the aisle was widened in the 15th century - see a string which suggests there was once a lean to aisle roof. Chalk rere-arches to the three Norman east windows. Also, a much rarer survival, a Norman piscina. (6) Listed Grade II*. (7)

Description from record TQ 65 NE 253:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
RYARSH CP CHURCH ROAD TQ 65 NE (south side) 7/204 Church of St Martin 25.8.59
- II*
Church. C12 and C15. Tower, nave, south aisle and chancel. Kentish Ragstone. 3 stage crenellated tower with diagonal buttresses and prominent octagonal south- east stair turret, taller than the tower, with a pyramidal tiled cap. Late C14 west windows, wide with 3 lower lights and cusped lights above. 2 bay nave with C14 south arcade on octagonal pillars with hollow chamfered arches. C15 aisle walls, showing that aisle was probably widened at that time. C12 nave and chancel with small contemporary windows in north side of both. Wide hollow- chamfered chancel arch. INTERIOR: Timber truss roof in chancel. C12 piscina with scalloped bowl and moulded rim. Later C19 fittings.
Listing NGR: TQ6723459045 (11)

<1> OS 6" 1936 (OS Card Reference). SKE48337.

<2> History of Kent, Vol. 2, (1782), (Hasted) pp 205 ff. (OS Card Reference). SKE44144.

<3> F1 ASP 06-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41962.

<4> F2 FGA 09-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43318.

<5> MHLG Dist of Tonbridge & Malling RD Kent May 1950 82 (OS Card Reference). SKE47111.

<6> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 501 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37908.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 21 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3312.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 21 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3313.

<9> DNH List Feb-1987 p.76 (OS Card Reference). SKE39784.

<10> Diocese of Rochester (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1995, Ryarsh, St Martin:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29482.

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

Sources and further reading