Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1200 to 1832. Church, 13th-15th C.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 93 SE 2 :
[TQ 97473213] St. Mary's Church (NAT) (1) Kenardington Church. The tower is 13th c. and the chancel and nave are 15th c. (2) In normal use. (3) 5272 KENARDINGTON Church of St Mary TQ 93 SE 10/223 16.8.62. II* 2. Parish Church. Chancel, nave, south porch and west tower with a circular vice turret to the north of it. This is all that remains of a larger church with north and south aisles and chapels which was struck by lightning in 1559. The chancel is about two-thirds the width of the nave and not central. The tower is C13 and stands at the north-west corner of the nave with no communication between the two but a blocked arch on the east side of the tower which led into the demolished north aisle. The chancel and nave are C15 and have blocked arches on the south side which led into the demolished south aisle and south chapel. The churchyard contains some C18 headstones with cherub and skull motifs and some early C19 sunray motif headstones. (4) St. Mary, Kenardington. The original nave and chancel were pulled down after the church was struck by lightning in 1559, and the south aisle was patched up as a church. (5)

A survey of the church and churchyard was undertaken in 2006, detailing the history of the building, describing the fabric and assessing the archaeological potential of the site. (7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
KENARDINGTON 1. 5272 Church of St Mary TQ 93 SE 10/223 16.8.62. II*
2. Parish Church. Chancel, nave, south porch and west tower with a circular vice turret to the north of it. This is all that remains of a larger church with north and south aisles and chapels which was struck by lightning in 1559. The chancel is about two-thirds the width of the nave and not central. The tower is C13 and stands at the north-west corner of the nave with no communication between the two but a blocked arch on the east side of the tower which led into the demolished north aisle. The chancel and nave are Cl5 and have blocked arches on the south side which led into the demolished south aisle and south chapel. The churchyard contains some C18 headstones with cherub and skull motifs and some early C19 sunray motif headstones. (8)

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> MHLG Provisional List Tenterden Rd., Feb 1956 p.27, No 19/1 (OS Card Reference). SKE47166.

<3> F1 ASP 01-MAR-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41872.

<4> DOE (HHR) Boro of Ashford Kent Aug 1979 65 (OS Card Reference). SKE39812.

<5> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 2nd Ed 1980 351 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37940.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 93 SE 2 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4718.

<7> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2006, Historical and Archaeological Survey of St Mary's Church, Kenardington (Unpublished document). SKE18145.

<8> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading