Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Pre 1119 church, later additions Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1067 to 1875

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1067 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 71565350] All Saints Church [NAT] (1)

The church at West Farleigh is dedicated to All Saints. [History of church from 1119 given.] (2)

The church is mainly Norman, c.1100, with a 16th c. tower. In 1841 "traces of earlier work were found to make it apparent that a Saxon church stood here previously". (3)

The church comprises west tower with north-east turret, with 16th c. windows, nave and chancel, north and south walls stuccoed but with two small Norman lights set high, one in each wall of the nave, modern south porch and vestry. The east wall of the chancel has been untouched by the restorer and is of plastered rubble. It contains three small Norman lights. Within the church, the small Norman chancel arch is of tufa stone. Other windows than those mentioned, are late restorations. The church is in use for ecclesiastical purposes. GP AO/59/19/8 East end from south-east. (4)

In normal use. (5)

Parish Church of All Saints, Lower Road, West Farleigh. Grade I. Late C11 or C12 and C15, restored 1875. [For full description see list]. (6-7)

Three trial pits were dug close to the north wall of the church and the towerfor proposed construction of a new toilet and associated drain. Evidecne of the Tower footings and possible foundations were revealed.(10)

Additional Info (8 - 9)

Description from record TQ 75 SW 226:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
WEST FARLEIGH LOWER ROAD TQ 75 SW (North side) 2/26 Church of All Saints 23-5-67 GV I
Parish church. Late Cll or C12 and Cl5, restored 1875. Small blocks of roughly-coursed ragstone to tower. Random ragstone to organ chamber. Nave and chancel pebbledashed. Tufa quoins to chancel. Plain tile roof. West tower, nave, slightly narrower square-ended chancel. South porch to nave. South-west organ chamber to chancel. West tower: C15. Two stages, on chamfered stone plinth. Battlements above moulded string. No buttresses. Single trefoil-headed belfry light to each face except east, each with small chamfered slit light some distance below it. Rectangular light towards top of west face of lower stage. Small two- light west window with trefoil-headed lights and squared hoodmould. Moulded round-headed west doorway with moulded round-headed hoodmould. North-east stair turret, becoming octagonal towards top, rising above tower, with battlements above chamfered andgargoyled string. Nave: late C11 or C12. No visible plinth. Small broad lancet-type window towards west end of south elevation. C19 pointed-arched two-light traceried window with hoodmould to right of porch. Small round-headed late C11 or C12 window under eaves, with tall lancet set lower immediately to east of it. South porch: C19. Glazed wooden tracery on high chamfered stone base. Cusped bargeboards to gable. Plain tile roof. Pointed- arched wooden outer opening, weatherboarded above. Moulded three-or four-centred arched C15 stone inner doorway. Organ chamber: C19. Gabled to south, with lower eaves than chancel. Low pointed-arched west doorway and pointed-arched two-light south window with hoodmould. Chancel: late C11 or C12. No visible plinth. Lower eaves than nave. Traceried two-light window with hoodmould to south, and another to north. 3 small separate round-headed east windows, that to centre stepped above the others. Small blocked rectangular opening towards west end of north elevation. North elevation of nave: No visible plinth. Small round-headed late C11 or C12 window under eaves towards centre. Two-light cavetto-moulded C15 window towards east end, with cinquefoil-headed lights, four-centred arched head and moulded hoodmould. Similar C15 two-light window towards west, but smaller and with pointed head. Interior structure: round-headed chancel arch of two plain square tufa orders without imposts. Round-headed tufa west doorway to nave, visible from base of tower, with fat roll between two square orders, and with cushion capital surviving to south side. Round-headed windows splayed towards interior, that to north side of nave with tufa rere- arch. Stone window seat in recess beneath south-east nave lancet and south chancel window. C15 round-headed hollow-chamfered-doorway with broach stops and two-plank door, to tower stair turret. Roof: common- rafter roof to nave with ashlar-pieces and sous-laced collars. Three moulded arch-braced tie-beams (one to east and two to centre) with moulded pendant posts, each with blank wooden shield to base. Moulded cornice. Similar roof to chancel but with un-braced plain-chamfered tie-beams, moulded and brattished cornice, and no pendant posts. Fittings: piscina to east side of south-east nave lancet seat recess with two pointed arches set at right-angles to each other. Similar piscina under south chancel window. C17 octagonal stone font on Bethersden marble base. Wooden font cover with moulded base, crocketed dome and moulded finial. Panelled C18 family pew, with frieze of pierced panels below cornice. Royal Arms over tower doorway. Monuments: tomb recess to south wall of nave, with cusped and subcusped arch under squared hoodmould, shields to spandrels, and frieze of Tudor flowers. Tablet on south wall of nave to Mrs. Elizabeth Kirby, d.1748. Oval, with cherub's head below base, achievements towards top, and festooned urn above. Tablet on south wall of nave to John Davis, d.1776. Rectangular inscription panel, with grey marble border, shaped base- plate with cherub's head and roses, moulded cornice, and grey obelisk above with urn and achievements. Monument on east wall of nave to south of chancel arch, to Edward Goulston, d.1720; grey-veined marble; moulded plinth on gadrooned consoles, with draped rectangular base plate terminating in skull. Inscription flanked by fluted pilasters with acanthus capitals, flanked in turn by inverted scrolls. Cherub's head above inscription. Moulded broken-based segmental pediment enclosing achievements, and surmounted by gadrooned urn. Monument to north of chancel arch to Jane Brewer, d.1676. Rectangular inscription panel with moulded border, set on moulded black marble plinth with gadrooned consoles and palm frond base plate. Inscription flanked by Ionic columns and by inverted foliated scrolls. Moulded cornice and scrolled pediment with achievements. Monument on north wall of nave to Jane Brewer, d.1716, by Robert Taylor. Grey-veined marble. Consoles, moulded and gadrooned plinth. Draped base plate with shield and cherub's heads. Fluted Doric pilasters and triglyphed frieze. Moulded cornice breaking forwards over pilasters and surmounted by three urns. Monument on north wall of chancel to Augustine Skynner, d.1672. White marble inscription panel on black ground. Moulded and consoled black marble plinth. Rectangular base plate with shield. Ionic columns flanking inscription Moulded cornice surmounted by achievements. Hanging monument on north wall of chancel to Edward Lawrence, d.1605. Kneeling figures of man with sons and woman with daughters in recess above inscription panel, all enclosed by ribboned side panels. Shaped base plate. Plain frieze with obelisk finials and scrolled central achievements. (J. Newman, Buildings of England Series, West Kent and the Weald; 1980 edition). Listing NGR: TQ7132052730 (11)

<1> OS 6" 1938 (OS Card Reference). SKE48349.

<2> History of Kent 5 1798 144 (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44130.

<3> A Saunter thro Kent with Pen and Pencil 30 1935 40 C Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32849.

<4> F1 ASP 03-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41908.

<5> F2 CFW 07-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43211.

<6> DOE (HHR) Dist of Maidstone Kent 14 October 1987 21-22 (OS Card Reference). SKE40289.

<7> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 597-598 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38098.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 75 SW 11 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3994.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 75 SW 11 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3995.

<10> Maidstone Area Archaeological Group, 2002, Archaeological report requestered by the vicar and churchwardens of All Saints Church - West Farleigh (Unpublished document). SKE7994.

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

Sources and further reading