Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Kemsing was one of the early minsters founded in Kent before 700. Church, Early Norman (possibly Late Saxon). Nave of early Norman or Late Saxon period. Flint rubble walls with ashlar quoins and dressings. Tiled roof. Chancel similar. North aisle and chancel aisle of close-set flints, added in 1890-91 by Sir J G Jackson. 14th century timber south porch. Timber bell tower, possibly 16th century, rises through nave at west end and terminates in shingled spire.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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(TQ 55605878) Church (NAT) (1) The Church of St. Mary, Kemsing, has a Norman side wall. (2) In normal use. (3) Church of St Mary, High Street (North Side), Kemsing. TQ 5558 16/562. 10.9.54. Grade B. Nave of early Norman period. Flint rubble walls with ashlar quoins and dressings. Tiled roof. Chancel similar. North aisle and chancel aisle of close-set flints, added in 1890-91 by Sir J G Jackson. C14 timber south porch. Timber bell tower, possibly C16, rises through nave at west end and terminates in shingled spire. Various windows, mostly C19 reconstructions in Perpendicular style. Rood screen and loft of 1894 by W J Unsworth contains mediaeval fragments. Rood figures by Comper, as is other chancel enrichment. C18 brass chandelier. Half length brass to Thomas de Hop d.1347. (4) The nave and the lower narrower chancel are presumably early in their walling, which is rubbly. The round-headed window on the south side of the nave looks 18th century, but the head of a blocked doorway above the present south doorway has an early looking irregularity in the setting of the voussoir stones. Early 16th century chancel windows. Full architectural description. (5) P.J. Tester suggest that the width of the south wall would be quite normal in post-Conquest work. However it is possible that the earliest part of the church may be safely described as belonging to the Saxon Norman overlap. The survival of Anglo-Saxon technique is apparent on the south east quoin of the nave, even if the actual construction was shortly after the Conquest. The opening in the nave wall over the east side of the south porch may be a much altered early window. (6) Additional bibliography. (7) St Mary, Kemsing. TQ 556588. Detailed discussion of the church porch. (8) Additional bibliography - not consulted. (9,10,11)

Description from record TQ 55 NE 124:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
KEMSING
771/16/562 HIGH STREET 28-AUG-03 KEMSING (North side) CHURCH OF ST MARY
II* Nave of early Norman period. Flint rubble walls with ashlar quoins and dressings. Tiled roof. Chancel similar. North aisle and chancel aisle of close-set flints, added in 1890-91 by Sir J G Jackson. C14 timber south porch. Timber bell tower, possibly C16, rises through nave at west end and terminates in shingled spire. Various windows, mostly Cl9 reconstructions in Perpendicular style. Rood screen and loft of 1894 by W J Unsworth contains mediaeval fragments. Rood figures by Comper, as is other chancel enrichment. Cl8 brass chandelier. Half length brass to Thomas de Hop d.1347. Listing NGR: TQ5560858784 (13)

In 2011 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out a watching brief. Remains of a substantial masonry wall were found in the churchyard immediately east of chancel. These could relate to a sanctuary or shrine that previously existed beyond the altar at the east end of the church. An examination of the church fabric at this time suggested that sections of the nave and the chancel's south wall are possibly of late Anglo-Saxon date and that the west wall of the nave was built in the early Norman period. An Anglo-Saxon door head is visible above a 13th century door in the porch. (13)

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

<2> MHLG (2360/11/A, April 1949) 63 (OS Card Reference). SKE47018.

<3> F1 FGA 07.07.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42898.

<4> DOE(HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks RD Kent 1975 143 (OS Card Reference). SKE41022.

<5> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 348-349 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37875.

<6> Arch Cant 98 1982 245-255 (P J Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE36319.

<7> Arch Cant 71 1966 241-43 (H M Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE35499.

<8> Arch Cant 101 1984 154 fig 4 (T P Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE34553.

<9> Guide to the Ch of St Mary the Virgin at Kemsing 1963 (V E Bowden) (OS Card Reference). SKE43647.

<10> Hist of St Edith of Kemsing & guide to the Ch of St Mary, Kemsing 1955 (V E Bowden) (OS Card Reference). SKE44030.

<11> Kemsing Church & Parish 1914 N.A. (OS Card Reference). SKE45662.

<12> Field report for monument TQ 55 NE 7 - July, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2750.

<13> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<14> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2012, Archaeological watching brief at St Mary's Church, Kemsing (Unpublished document). SKE24857.

Sources and further reading