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Monument details

HER Number:TR 03 NW 66
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1799. Largely C15th but some earlier (C14th work). Grade I listed building made of Kentish ragstone. The north chancel chapel collapsed c.1768. Some modern (C20th) additions (such as the East window).


Grid Reference:TR 00613 39240
Map Sheet:TR03NW
Parish:KINGSNORTH, ASHFORD, KENT

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1400 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (I) 1362667: CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL

Full description

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Description from record TR 03 NW 3 :
(TR 00603923) St. Michael's Church (NAT) (1) The Church of St. Michael, Kingsnorth, is largely C15th but with some earlier work. (2) In normal use. (3) St Michael and All Angels, built in the late C14th. Just chancel, nave, stone south porch and a plain unbattlemented west tower. But a north chancel chapel collapsed c.1768, hence the windowless north wall. The very decorated east window is modern. (4) 5272 Church of St Michael, Church Hill, Kingsnorth. TR 03 NW 20/1 14.2.67. Grade 1. Largely C15 but with some earlier work. Built of Kentish ragstone. Chancel, nave, south porch and square west tower with brick buttresses and octagonal turret. Interior has crown post roof. the churchyard contains C18 skull, cherub, hourglass, heavenly trumpet and Book of Judgement motif headstones. (5)


The current church building dates to the late 14th/early 15th century, when the earlier church (TR 03 NW 105) was rebuilt on the same foundations. Local tradition states the the Parker family were respobsible for this rebuild. The new nave was built without aisles, and the north wall of the chancel was rebuilt to accommodate a large chantry chapel (TR 03 NW 99). Entry to the chantry chapel was via a door in the NE of the nave, which was later blocked. It also appears that (at least the western half, if not all of) the north wall of the chancel is an infill, suggesting the chancel and chantry chapel were linked and separated by a wooden screen. A masonry porch on the southern wall and the tower were built at this time. The tower required the rebuild of the western end of the nave, with the new wall slightly to the west of the previous wall (of the earlier church TQ 03 NW 105). During the 19th century the east wall of the chancel was reconstructed. The seating in the nave was replaced which required the lowering of the floor to accommodate dwarf brick walls to support the new pews, and ceramic tiles were laid on the walkways. Two brick vaults were cut into the chancel floor, probably dating to the mid 18th century. (7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5272 KINGSNORTH CHURCH HILL Church of St Michael TR 03 NW 20/1 14.2.67. I 2. Largely C15 but with some earlier work. Built of Kentish ragstone. Chancel, nave, south porch and square west tower with brick buttresses and octagonal turret. Interior has crown post roof. The churchyard contains C18 skull, cherub, hourglass, heavenly trumpet and Book of Judgement motif headstones.
Listing NGR: TR0060339175 (8)


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

<2> MHLG Prov List W Ashford RD Oct 1960 46 No 18/1 (OS Card Reference). SKE47164.

<3> F1 CFW 27-NOV-1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE42783.

<4> Bldgs of Eng 1980 W Kent & the Weald 355-6 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37709.

<5> DOE(HHR) Boro of Ashford Kent Oct 1960 147 (OS Card Reference). SKE40818.

<6> Field report for monument TR 03 NW 3 - November, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5100.

<7> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2010, Archaeological and historical investigations forming the final phase of works associated with the refurbishment of St Michael and All Angels Church, Church Hill, Kingsnorth (Unpublished document). SKE16600.

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

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
<2>OS Card Reference: MHLG Prov List W Ashford RD Oct 1960 46 No 18/1.
<3>OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 27-NOV-1962.
<4>OS Card Reference: Bldgs of Eng 1980 W Kent & the Weald 355-6 (J Newman).
<5>OS Card Reference: DOE(HHR) Boro of Ashford Kent Oct 1960 147.
<6>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TR 03 NW 3 - November, 1962.
<7>Unpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 2010. Archaeological and historical investigations forming the final phase of works associated with the refurbishment of St Michael and All Angels Church, Church Hill, Kingsnorth.
<8>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #21265 Church, ]