Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1899. Church constructed during the 13th century with 14th century transepts and a 15th century aisled nave. The west tower was constructed in 1534, the chancel in 1863 by David Brandon. Other 19th century additions included the construction of the south porch. The church is constructed of knapped flint, ashlar and tile with a tile roof. Chilham was one of the early minsters founded in Kent before 700.

Monument Types

• MINSTER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 700 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds

• HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 05 SE 11:
[TR 06885365] St. Mary's Church (NAT) (1) The Church of St. Mary, Chilham, is chiefly Perpendicular, but contains some C13th and C14th work. (2,3) In normal use. (4) TR 0653-0753 Chilham 7/13 Church of St. Mary. 27.11.57. GV. Grade I Parish church. C14 transepts, C15 nave, west tower 1534 chancel of 1863 by David Brandon. C19 south porch. Knapped flint coursed in chancel, ashlar quoins and dressings throughout. Tower west wall in alternate blocks of flints and tiles. Plain tile roof. West tower, nave with aisles, transepts, triple chancel, south porch. Exterior: 3 stage tower, with 4 stage offset angle buttresses, weathered plinth and string course to battlements. South east octagonal and battlemented stair turret. South aisle with angle buttresses, rendered plinth and stringcourse to battlements. Clerestorey to nave. Two storey south porch, circular stair turret in west angle with aisle. South transept with angle buttresss, no plinth, exposed wall plate on corbels to west wall. Triple chancel of 3 gables, coursed flint on flint and ashlar plinth with angle buttresses. North transept knapped coursed flint with angle buttresses of 1863? Chimney stack in west angle with north aisle. Aisle with angle buttress and 2 intermediate buttresses, and string course to battlements. Clerestory to nave. West window C19 3 light Perp. style, with single light and label over. South tower wall has large wooden clock face north wall with Perp 2 light belfry opening. South west and north west windows both C15 Perp. two-light with 4 lights over and drip mould. South aisle windows C19 copies of the Perp. south-west window, either side of south porch. Porch C19 Perp. style single lights west and east, and 2 light and label to south wall over door. South transept. West window C14 2-light with spherical triangle in apex, south window C14 3-light-traceried, east window 3 light, C16? Canted four-centred arch with drip mould, no tracery. Chancel south wall with two C19 geometric style 2 light and trefoiled windows, drip moulds with ball-flower stops. Three C19 curvilinear style east windows, 2 of 3 light, with ball-flower stops to drip moulds. Centre of 5 lights and rose, with crowned heads for stops. North chancel wall identical to south wall. North transept with C19 dec. style 2 light east window, C19 cusped 'y'-traceried 3 light north window, and C14 west window, of two lights with hollow-sided hexagon at head. North aisle with 3 C15 Perp. 2 light and 3 lights over in segmental arches, with drip moulds over. 3 Clerestory windows to north and south, all C15 Perp. 2 lights. Panelled plank and stud west door in moulded arch with square head, shields in spandrels, moulded jambs, with coved cornice to label. South door C19 plank door in C15 archway, double hollow chamfer and roll moulding in square-headed frame with quatrefoils in spandrels. North and sorth chancel walls with identical C19 doors to west, in moulded surrounds with drip moulds, and inscriptions over: south "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength"; north "Thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee" Interior: heavily chamfered tower arch on half-octagonal piers. 4 bay C15 nave, arcade of octagonal piers, moulded bases and caps, double hollow chamfered arches. Clerestory of 4 windows over, the most easterly to north and south blocked and facing into the transepts. King post roof, with moulded tenoned purlins, ridge plate and tie beams. Corbels carved as angels, kings and beasts support roof posts. Aisles with moulded beams to flat ceiled roofs, and double hollow chamfered arches to transepts. Moulded 4 centred reveals to windows and south door. Eastern bay of nave arcade leads directly into transepts. South transept with crown post roof, C19 arch to south east chancel, blocked opening to roof loft - stair.

Though a church at Chilham is mentioned in Doomsday Book (1086), the earliest visible above-ground remains here are the transepts, which date from the very late 13th century or early 14th century. These transepts do however suggest that they were built flanking the tower of an earlier cruciform church, perhaps of the 12th century, and it is possible that some 12th century masonry survives in the piers on either side of the chancel arch. The awkward joint between the east end of the nave clerestory and the gable wall above the chancel area (mostly 19th cent. in its upper section) possibly survives from the east side of an earlier tower. There are some later medieval quoins here at the outer edge, and the scar for the earlier chancel roof is visible (particularly on the north). All other work east of this dates, however, from the 19th century. The rest of the tower (to the west) must have been destroyed in the 15th century, before the new nave was constructed.

The transepts, which both have angled buttresses were probably added at the same time in the very late 13th century or early 14th century. All the windows in the north transept have been replaced with Bath stone, which probably reflects the earlier tracery. In the south transept the fine 3-light trefoil-headed 'lancet' south window is original (though with Bath stone jambs), while the west window in this transept still has its original early 14th century 2-light window with a spherical triangle at its head. The east window in this transept was replaced with a 3-light window in c. 1500. Piscina's in the transepts suggest altars here. The north transept roof is 19th century, while the south transept still has a fine 2-bay crown-post roof with raised tie-beams of perhaps the late 14th/early 15th century. (?)

During the 15th century, it was decided that to completely replace the nave and aisles (and probably the crossing tower), and new 4-bay arcades was built all the way to the chancel arch ie. across the north and south transepts with a clerestory above. This meant that the easternmost clerestory windows looked into the transept roof-spaces, a clear indication that the rebuilding of the transepts was also proposed. At the same time a new south porch was built with a parvise chamber above, with rounded stair-turret on the north-west. Externally the nave aisles (and porch) and clerestory walls are embattled, though the latter seems to have been a (? re) creation of the 19th century (the Petrie view of 1806 shows no battlements on the upper wall). The aisle windows are all fine Perpendicular ones with original glazing bars and some fragments of medieval glass (apparently with armourical evidence to suggest that some of it went in before 1461 - J. Newman B.O.E. N.E. + E. Kent). The tracery form can be compared with the windows in the nave of Mersham church. The roof over the nave (lead-covered) can be compared with Lyminge church, and is a low-pitched king-post roof with queen-struts and purlins. The tie-beams sit on wall-posts on stone corbels, with the 4 evangelists and angels with shields carved on them. The eastern corbels only date from 1897 when the chancel arch was rebuilt/strengthened. On the outside of the south aisle and porch much of the window tracery was replaced with Bath stone and a cement plinth (with some bricks beneath) was put on. A large drainage channel was also dug. At the west end of the north aisle is a small blocked doorway, while at its north-east corner a 19th century chimney flue has been inserted.

The final major addition to the church was the large western tower. This was constructed probably in the early 16th century (Hasted mentions a legacy being given in 1534). Externally it has flint and Caen/Rag chequer work with Ragstone plinth and quoins. There is a 'Beacon' stair-turret on the south-east side, the turret had a lead spirelet until removed in 1784, and round-headed windows with square hood-moulds in the upper stage. The west window under the tower is entirely 19th century (of Bath stone).

The chancel and chancel aisles date entirely from the rebuilding by David Brandon in 1863. All dressings are in Bath stone with heavy flintwork externally. Glynne (in 1846) mentions c. 13th century arch on the north side of the chancel, and there was probably a chantry chapel on the north-east side (documented as being dissolved in 1548). This was probably replaced by the unusual domical chapel built in 1755 for the Colebrook family. On the south-side of the chancel was the Digges chapel built in c. 1631. Earlier a medieval chapel of St Anne is mentioned here. On its south side Petrie (and other early views) show a large doorway on the west ( cf. the doors at the contemporary Chilham Castle) and a large Venetian window to the east. All these features were sadly swept away in 1883. Virtually all the fittings in the church, except the many fine monuments (see below), date from this restoration. (11)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 0653-0753 CHILHAM
7/13 Church of St. Mary 27.ll.57 GV I
Parish church. C14 transepts, C15 nave, west tower 1534, chancel of 1863 by David Brandon. Cl9 south porch. Knapped flint. coursed in chancel, ashlar quoins and dressings throughout. Tower west wall in alternate blocks of flints and tiles. Plain tile roof. West tower, nave with aisles, transepts, triple chancel, south porch. Exterior: 3 stage tower, with 4 stage offset angle buttresses, weathered plinth and string course to battlements. South east octagonal and battlemented stair turret. South aisle with angle buttresses, rendered plinth and string- course to battlements. Clerestorey to nave. Two storey south porch, circular stair turret in west angle with aisle. South transept with angle buttresss, no plinth, exposed wall plate on corbels to west wall. Triple chancel of 3 gables, coursed flint on flint and ashlar plinth with angle buttresses. North transept knapped coursed flint with angle buttresses of 1863? Chimney stack in west angle with north aisle. Aisle with angle buttress and 2 intermediate buttresses, and string course to battlements. Clerestory to nave. West window C19 3 light Perp. style, with single light and label over. South tower wall has large wooden clock face north wall with Perp 2 light belfry opening. South-west and north west windows both C15 Perp. two-light with 4 lights over and drip mould. South aisle windows C19 copies of the Perp. south-west window, either side of south porch. Porch C19 Perp. style single lights west and east, and 2 light and label to south wall over door. South transept. West window C14 2-light with spherical triangle in apex, south window C14 3-light y-traceried, east window 3 light, C16? Canted four-centred arch with drip mould, no tracery. Chancel south wall with two C19 geometric style 2 light and trefoiled windows, drip moulds with ball-flower stops. Three C19 curvilinear style east windows, 2 of 3 light, with ball-flower stops to drip moulds. Centre of 5 lights and rose, with crowned heads for stops. North chancel wall identical to south -wall. North transept with C19 dec. style 2 light east window, C19 cusped 'y'-traceried 31ight north window, and C14 west window, of two lights with hollow-sided hexagon at head. North aisle with 3 C15 Perp. 2 light and 3 lights over, in segmental arches, with drip moulds over. 3 Clerestory windows to north and south, all C15 Perp. 2 lights. Panelled plank and stud west door in moulded arch with square head, shields in spandrels, moulded jambs, with coved cornice to label. South door C19 plank door in C15 archway, double hollow chamfer and roll moulding in square-headed frame with quatrefoils in spandrels. North and south chancel walls with identical C19 doors to west, in moulded surrounds with drip moulds, and inscriptions over; south "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength"; north "Thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee". Interior: heavily chamfered tower arch on half-octagonal piers. 4 bay C15 nave, arcade of octagonal piers, moulded bases and caps, double hollow chamfered arches. Clerestory of 4 windows over, the most easterley to north and south blocked and facing into the transepts. King post roof, with moulded tenoned purlins, ridge plate and tie beams. Corbels carved as angels, kings and beasts support roof posts. Aisles with moulded beams to flat ceiled roofs, and double hollow chamfered arches to transepts. Moulded 4 centred reveals to win- dows and south door. Eastern bay of nave arcade leads directly into transepts. South transept with crown post roof, C19 arch to south east chancel, blocked opening to roof loft - stair. North transept with C19 braced truss roof, 4 centred C19 arch through to north-east chancel. C19 4 centred central chancel arch. Chancel with 3 bay north arcade, octagonal responds, round piers, double chamfered arches, with similar arcade constricted to allow for rood-loft stair. All with scissor-trussed roofs. Fittings: ogee headed piscina in south transept, obscured by organ. Monuments: the chief interest of the church. South-west corner, to the Dick family 1837, signed Beele and Sons, London, but attributed John Brine and Sons (B.O.E. - Kent II, 273). Free- standing altar and tryptich, female figures in pinnacled niches left and right. Cast iron traceried railings with crocketed principles. On south wall, to Frederick Lacy Dick, assasinated 1847, by E. Gaffin, Regent St., white marble slab on scalloped scrolls, surmounted by pensive mourning figure and sarcophagus. Further east,to William Denne d. 1778 and family 1783-1806, white oval plaque on brackets with coat of arms over. On south transept east wall, Sir Thomas Mantel, d. 1831. Richard Westmacott. R.A. London. Mourning woman and urn, pediment over, plain base with two small scallops. South chancel: on south wall, to unnamed member of Fogge family 1626. Bethersden marble. Verses on arched plaque on scrolled brackets, with corinthian capitals carrying frieze, with scrolled medallion and obelisk over. All covered with damasque work. Free standing monument to Mary Kemp, Lady Digges, d. 1631; Nicholas Stone,11 foot (black) marble column with urn, on plinth, with 4 seated female figures on pedestals at each corner - representing Justice, Prudence, Temperance and Fortitude. Panels on pedestals and central plinth with texts, east to Lady Digges, north to Rachel (Genesis XXXV), south to the Digges lineage, west to Dudley Digges, builder of Chilham Castle. North chancel, to James Wildman, d. 1816, "the famous wildman monument by Chantrey" (Kelly's Directory, 1927). Free standing. Scrolled sarcophagus, inscription partially obscured by drapery of mourning woman left, daughter weeping in her lap, son sat on step to right below sarcophagus. Also in north chancel a purbeck marble sarcophagus originally in tombs below north transept. Incised with much mutilated floriate cross. Free standing monument to Arthur and Edmund Hardy d. 1853; Alexander Munro. White marble on red marble plinth 2 boys reading "Illustrated Babes in the Wood", with childrens' toys around them. North transept: Thomas Pettitt d. 1625. Wall plague, black marble, white base. 2 columns support entablature, with plinth. North-west corner, Lady Margaret Palmer, d. 1619, sister to Dudley Digges. Bethersden Marble Free standing tomb-chest, with 2 coloured marble panels, 4 corinthian columns carry entablature, with 4 corner obelisks, with central obelisque on enscrolled medallion. All enriched with damasque work, generally similar to 'Foggys' monument in south-east chancel. Glass: Mid C15 glass in north aisle window of figures and heraldry. In north and south transepts and chancels, memorial windows of Hardy family to fallen of World War I, by W.T. Tower Coats of Arms: dated 1712 over south door with pediment and scrolls, and C18 lozenge on tower south wall. See B.O.E. Kent II. 1983, pp 271-3.
Listing NGR: TR0688553656 (12)

Historic England archive material: AL2400/039/01 View of St Mary's Church, Chilham, from the south-east BF052989 ST MARYS CHURCH, CHILHAM 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" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Kent 1935 133 (JC Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE45669.

<3> MHLG (1886/11/A, July 1955) 19 (OS Card Reference). SKE46936.

<4> F1 ASP 16-MAY-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42138.

<5> DOE(HHR) Boro of Ashford Kent Aug 1984 26-7 (OS Card Reference). SKE40814.

<6> Bldgs of Eng NE and E Kent 1983 271-3 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37804.

<7> Arch Cant 102 1985 135-147 plates (JM Lipscomb) (OS Card Reference). SKE34606.

<8> Kent Arch Res Unit (OS Card Reference). SKE45722.

<9> Parish Guide in Backup Folder (OS Card Reference). SKE48491.

<10> Field report for monument TR 05 SE 11 - May, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5217.

<11> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1993, Church Survey - St Mary's Church, Chilham (Unpublished document). SKE7582.

<12> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading