Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

C13th & later church Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1200 to 1905

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 8822 4954] St. Nicholas's Church (NAT) (1) A 14th century church with a king-post roof. It was restored in the 19th century. Grade B. (2) In use. (3) Checked and correct. (4) St. Nicholas parish church, Church Road, Grafty Green, Grade II. 13th, 14th and 15th century, restored in 1848-50 and 1905. (5)(6) Additional bibliography. (7)

Description from record TQ 84 NE 20:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
BOUGHTON MALHERBE CHURCH ROAD TQ 84 NE (North side)
Grafty Green
6/9 Church of St. Nicholas 26.4.68
GV II*
Parish church. C13, C14 and C15, restored 1848-50 by Alexander Apsley, and 1905. Ragstone, with plain tile roofs. West tower, nave, south aisle, south porch, chancel with south chapel. West tower: C15. Three staqes on moulded plinth. Unbuttressed. Battlements above moulded string. Single cinquefoil-headed belfry lights with squared hoodmoulds. Similar light to west side of central stage and similar 2-light window above west door. Moulded 4-centred arched west doorway with quatrefoiled spandrels, and squared hoodmould with carved heads as label stops. Iron gates before ribbed door. External round-headed stoup with squared hoodmould. C19 lean-to to north with pointed-arched west doorway and small pointed north window. Nave: projects slightly south of tower, with no plinth. South aisle: C14. No plinth. Gabled. Three C19 two-light windows in a C14 style, with hoodmoulds: one to west and 2 flanking porch. South porch: moulded stone plinth. Shaped sprockets to eaves. Moulded bressumer across gable with close-studding of 1905 above. One window of 2 round-headed lights to each side. 4-centred arched inner and outer doorways with similar mouldings. Ceiling with moulded beams, joists and cornice. South: chapel: C14. No plinth. Diagonal south-east buttress. C19 two-light south window and 3-light east window, in C14 style. Chancel: C14 or earlier, extended to east in 1848-50. No plinth. Moulded stone kneelers to moulded stone-coped parapet. South-east angle buttress and single buttress towards north. C19 three-light east window and 2-light north window in a C14 style. C19 lean-to north vestry with truncated north stack, 2-light east window and pointed-arched west doorway. North elevation of nave: no plinth. Projects north of chancel and tower, with 2 buttresses. Two C19 windows in a C14 style. Low blocked pointed-arched doorway toward west end. Interior: 2-bay nave arcade of pointed arches, doubly chamfered with plain and hollow chamfers. Octagonal central and semi-octagonal end columns with moulded Bethersden marble capitals and bases. Similar chancel arch dying into wall. Single doubly-chamfered arch between chancel and south chapel, springing from semi-octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases, single-chamfered arch between south chapel and south aisle, springing from scroll-moulded imposts and chamfered piers. Pointed, single- chamfered C13 tower arch with undercut imposts and chamfered piers. Chancel floor raised up 5 steps from nave, and altar a further 4 steps at east end. Roof: 2-bay roof to nave with 3 slender octagonal moulded crown-posts, sous- laces, ashlar pieces and moulded. cornice. Moulded tie-beams, that to east end brattished. Moulded solid-spandrel braces from pendant posts to tie- beams, carved with shields superimposed on quatrefoils and daggers. Small carved stone corbels beneath pendant posts. Common rafter roof to south aisle, with collars and sous-laces. Long ashlar pieces and moulded cornice to south side only. Chancel and south chapel roofs similar to south aisle; chancel C19, south chapel probably C19 with re-used timber. Fittings: no visible piscinae. Octagonal font on Bethersden marble base. Pulpit incorporating re-used linenfold panelling. Funeral hatchment under tower. Straight-sided 4-centred arched multi- cusped opening between chancel and south chapel. Stained glass in west window 1894 bv Kempe. Monuments: small brass in chancel to Nicholas Wotton, d. 1499, with kneeling man, wife and children. Brass in chancel to Sir Edward Wotton, d. 1551; armoured knight and lady with shields. Plain rectangular brass in chancel to Sir James Wotton, d. 1628, and in nave to Edmond Sanford,Gent., d.1652. Large brass on south wall of chancel to Thomas, Lord Wotton, d.1630; three rectangular plates, that to top bearing coat of arms, to centre, the inscription and to base a draped urn with swags. Similar 3-plate brass on north wall of chancel, to Mary, widow to Thomas, Lord Wotton, d. 1658. Bust of Thomas Wotton, d.1587, recessed in roundel in north wall of chancel; motto to rim of roundel, alabaster shield with raised coat of arms and achievements set in wall above, and rectangular plate with inscription below. Rectangular alabaster tablet set within blocked north doorway, to Dr. Leonell Sharpe, chaplain to Earl of Essex, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Henry and King James; d.1630. Eared and shouldered, with cherub's head to base plate and surmounted by 3 shields. Two kneeling alabaster figures to south side of south aisle, probably from a monument, circa 1600. Three white marble lions in chancel, formerly supporting black marble pyramid on monument of Daniel O'Neale, d.1663. Pyramid slabs said to have been used to floor vestry. [J. Newman, B.O.E. Series, West Kent and the Weald 19801. Listing NGR: TQ8819449629 (10)

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

<2> MHLG (Hollingbourne RD 2153/11/A Nov 1960 2 (OS Card Reference). SKE47050.

<3> F1 CJW 12.12.61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42851.

<4> F2 ASP 02.01.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43072.

<5> DOE (HHR) Borough of Maidstone Kent 21-11-86 5-6 (OS Card Reference). SKE39934.

<6> Bldgs of Eng-West Kent & the Weald 1980 173 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38136.

<7> Arch Cant 87 1972 15-29 (L E C Evans) (OS Card Reference). SKE35881.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 84 NE 2 - December, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4342.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 84 NE 2 - January, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4343.

<10> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading