Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1799. Though documentary evidence suggests that there was a church here by the 12th century at least, the earliest visible remains seem to be of the early to mid 14th century nave and aisles with its two fine 3 bays of arcading. The Kentish ragstone masonry for the piers and arches is very fine, and still clearly exhibits tooling, mason's marks, etc. There are also 'Decorated' windows above the north doorway and at the west end of the S aisle, but these have been heavily/totally restored in Bathstone externally. The south doorway (into the porch) is, however, still an intact 14th century 2-centred arch. The two light windows at the west end of the N aisle was perhaps late 13th century, but it was totally restored in Bathstone in 1873 (see Pearman (1886), 67). The lower outer aisle walls are also 14th century, and they were heightened in the 15th century when new three light windows were inserted into the south and north aisle walls on either side of the doorways (they all have external square hood moulds and have been heavily restored in Bath stone). Also in the 15th century, crenellated parapets were added to the aisles, and the fine west tower was built (in c 1420-30, according to MacMichael) also with a crenelatted parapet and a large semi-octagonal stair turret, that rises above the tower.

The chancel arch has carved corbels below it, and a large rood-screen was built across it and the neighbouring chapels in the mid 15th century. The remains of this screen were removed in the 19th century, but fragments of it were reused in the choir stall and vicars stall fronts and in the pulpit. The stairs to the rood loft start at the SW corner of the SE (Lovelace) Chapel, and it is likely that the rood-loft (and screen) were put in at the same time as this chapel was built (the Chantry for the Lovelaces was founded in this chapel - the ? Lady Chapel in 1460). Earlier there had only been a chapel at the east end of the S aisle (the piscina here is just visible), and new arches were made from the end of this aisle and the chancel into this new chapel after the rebuilding of the chancel (also a new piscina). The two 3-light windows (E + S) in this chapel have 4-centred heads with an external drip mould. The crenellated parapet above is slightly below the level of the aisle parapet, and a wide external 'buttress' between the aisle and chapel marks the rood stair. It has a small rectangular window in it, and a strange corbelled head at the top of its chamfered SW angle. A chantry priest's door into the chapel is still visible externally but blocked internally.

In 1851, according to Pearman (op. cit) the church was 're-seated in plain oak pews, open and uniform' and the remains of the rood screen were removed. In 1873 much external stone work was renewed in Bath stone, and 'the roofs were opened'. They now appear to be very heavily restored. The south porch has also been almost completely restored.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1194 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5272 BETHERSDEN THE STREET (north side) Church of St Margaret TQ 9240 21/1 14.2.67 I 2. Built of Kentish ragstone. Chancel with north and south chapels, the north chapel now the vestry. Nave with aisles and west tower of 3 stages with buttresses and crenellated parapet. The porch and 3 bay nave have crown post roofs. Nave and aisles C14, chancel, chapels and tower C15. The churchyard contains some C18 headstones with skull motifs, hourglass and serpent motifs and some oval bodystones.
Listing NGR: TQ9279640264

Description from record TQ 94 SW 2:
[TQ 9279 4027] St. Margaret's Church [NAT] (1)

Bethersden parish church is mainly Perpendicular incorporating the remains of an earlier building mentioned in a charter of 1194. The present church was restored in 1873 (2).

The nave and aisles are 14th century, the chapels and tower 15th century(3).

St. Margaret's Church, is in regular use for divine worship(4)

Checked and correct(5).

5272 BETHERSDEN THE STREET (north side) Church of St Margaret TQ 9240 21/1 14.2.67 I 2. Built of Kentish ragstone. Chancel with north and south chapels, the north chapel now the vestry. Nave with aisles and west tower of 3 stages with buttresses and crenellated parapet. The porch and 3 bay nave have crown post roofs. Nave and aisles C14, chancel, chapels and tower C15. The churchyard contains some C18 headstones with skull motifs, hourglass and serpent motifs and some oval bodystones(6).

St Margaret's Church (as described in auths 2 - 6)(7)

Though documentary evidence suggests that there was a church here by the 12th century at least, the earliest visible remains seem to be of the early to mid 14th century nave and aisles with its two fine 3 bays of arcading. The Kentish ragstone masonry for the piers and arches is very fine, and still clearly exhibits tooling, mason's marks, etc. There are also 'Decorated' windows above the north doorway and at the west end of the S aisle, but these have been heavily/totally restored in Bathstone externally. The south doorway (into the porch) is, however, still an intact 14th century 2-centred arch. The two light windows at the west end of the N aisle was perhaps late 13th century, but it was totally restored in Bathstone in 1873 (see Pearman (1886), 67). The lower outer aisle walls are also 14th century, and they were heightened in the 15th century when new three light windows were inserted into the south and north aisle walls on either side of the doorways (they all have external square hood moulds and have been heavily restored in Bath stone). Also in the 15th century, crenellated parapets were added to the aisles, and the fine west tower was built (in c 1420-30, according to MacMichael) also with a crenelatted parapet and a large semi-octagonal stair turret, that rises above the tower.

The chancel arch has carved corbels below it, and a large rood-screen was built across it and the neighbouring chapels in the mid 15th century. The remains of this screen were removed in the 19th century, but fragments of it were reused in the choir stall and vicars stall fronts and in the pulpit. The stairs to the rood loft start at the SW corner of the SE (Lovelace) Chapel, and it is likely that the rood-loft (and screen) were put in at the same time as this chapel was built (the Chantry for the Lovelaces was founded in this chapel - the ? Lady Chapel in 1460). Earlier there had only been a chapel at the east end of the S aisle (the piscina here is just visible), and new arches were made from the end of this aisle and the chancel into this new chapel after the rebuilding of the chancel (also a new piscina). The two 3-light windows (E + S) in this chapel have 4-centred heads with an external drip mould. The crenellated parapet above is slightly below the level of the aisle parapet, and a wide external 'buttress' between the aisle and chapel marks the rood stair. It has a small rectangular window in it, and a strange corbelled head at the top of its chamfered SW angle. A chantry priest's door into the chapel is still visible externally but blocked internally.

The plain font has a ? new octagonal bowl on 8 marble shafts and an octagonal marble base.

In 1851, according to Pearman (op. cit) the church was 're-seated in plain oak pews, open and uniform' and the remains of the rood screen were removed. The new east window was perhaps also rebuilt at this time, and a new reredos installed (now covered by a curtain).

In 1873 much external stone work was renewed in Bath stone, and 'the roofs were opened'. They now appear to be very heavily restored. The south porch has also been almost completely restored.

There is now a large wooden clock face on the east face of the tower. (10)

Watching brief during the laying of a new floor in part of the nave and aisles found evidence of possible Norman church, and either an earlier phase of the current church or another building on the site. A substantial wall fondation (c.1m wide) was observed in the southern half of the nave. The section of foundation was observed to run for 5m (extending beyond the limit of the area excavated) on a slightly different alignment from the current building. This is believed to represent a Norman church; probably the one that is referred to as existing in 1194 (see above). Two of the pier bases were exposed, revealing substantial column bases. These are much larger than required for the current columns, which occupy only a third of the space and are located off-centre. It is not known whether this represents an earlier phase of the current building or another building inbetween the Norman church and the present building. (11)

Historic England Archive material: BF061507 ST MARGARETS CHURCH, BETHERSDEN File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate.

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

<1> OS 6" Prov edit 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE48390.

<2> Arch Cant 16 (1886) pp 66-69 (A.J Pearman) (OS Card Reference). SKE34489.

<3> MHLG (West Ashford RD) 1887/11/A Oct 1960 2 (OS Card Reference). SKE47067.

<4> F1 ASP 15-DEC-61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42117.

<5> F2 CFW 02-JAN-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43197.

<6> DOE (HHR) Dist of Ashford, B Kent, Oct 1980 24 (OS Card Reference). SKE40199.

<7> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 155 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37849.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 94 SW 2 - December, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4788.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 94 SW 2 - January, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4789.

<10> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1992, Church Report - St Margaret's Church. (Unpublished document). SKE7548.

<11> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2008, An archaeological watching brief at St Margaret's Church, Bethersden, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE16620.

Sources and further reading