Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

C14th Church rebuilt 1782. C14th tower Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1898

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds

• HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval - 1226 AD to 1281 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

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[TQ 8044 4942] St. Michael's Church [NAT] (1) The church of St. Michael, Chart Sutton was rebuilt 1779-82 after being struck by lightning. Th lower portion of the tower dated to 14th cent. is all that remains of the earlier work. (2) St. Michael's Church, is at present used for divine worship. (3) Checked and correct. (4) Additional bibliography. (5)(6)

Description from record TQ 84 NW 178:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
CHART SUTTON CHURCH ROAD TQ 8049-8149 (east side) Church of 7/32 St. Michael 26.4.68 GV II
Parish church. C14, rebuilt except tower 1779-82 by Henry Holland, altered 1897-8. Tower irregular blocks of roughly coursed stone. Small blocks of evenly coursed and galletted stone to rest of church. Slate roof to nave. Plain tile roof to chancel and chapels. West tower with south porch. Broad nave, partly extending round tower. Chancel with north and south transeptal chapels. Tower: C14, with belfry partly rebuilt. Unstaged on low battered plinth with north-west and south-west angle buttresses. Brick-dressed belfry lights with segmental heads. Small chamfered rectangular light below belfry to north and south. West window of 2 ogee-headed cinquefoiled lights with sub-cusped ogival. Moulded 2-centred arched west doorway with continuous rib. South porch: C19 with angle buttresses, and 2-centred arched doorway. Nave: Late C18 altered 1897-8. South elevation: No plinth. Tooled stone eaves band, carried round gable ends. Projecting eaves with flat soffits. Three C19 windows alternating with buttresses. East end bay of south elevation retains late C18 blocked 4- centred arched doorway with quatrefoil above, both with raised tooled stone architraves. South chapel: 1897-8. Built at right-angles to chancel, with plinth and angle buttresses. 2-light window and 2-centred arched doorway to south. Chancel: 1897-8, with plinth and angle buttresses. No south windows. 1897 consecration stone. 4-light east window. North chapel: 1897-8. As south but without door. Nave: north elevation: Four C19 windows alternating with buttresses. Late C18 west lancet with raised tooled surround. Interior: structure: broad aisle-less nave. C14 tower arch with pointed arch of 3 chamfered orders and attached semi- octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases. C19 chancel arch and chancel arcades. Scientific king-post roof to nave. Fittings: Royal arms to south-west end of nave. 2 benefactors boards under tower. Further board under tower giving dates of destruction and rebuilding of church 1779-82. Plaque stating chancel re-opened 1898. Monuments: small marble tablet on south wall of nave to Francis Robins, d.1720, with moulded plinth on gadrooned consoles and moulded cornice with shield. Small marble tablet on north wall of nave commemorating monuments to John Smyth, d.1732, and members of Smyth family, destroyed during fire of 1779. (J. Newman, B.O.E., West Kent and The Weald, 1980). Listing NGR: TQ8043949414 (9)

In 2023 human and animal bones were found alongside the churchyard wall by a neighbouring landowner. The police were called and sent the bones for assessment. The carbon dating concluded there was a 95 % probability that the human bones dated from between 1226 and 1281 AD.

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

<2> MHLG Hollingbourn RD 2153/11/A Nov 1960 17 (OS Card Reference). SKE47120.

<3> F1 ASP 24.11.61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42254.

<4> F2 CFW 16.01.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43244.

<5> Bldgs of Eng-West Kent & the Weald 1980 198-199 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38140.

<6> DOE(HHR) Borough of Maidstone Kent 18 December 1985 21 (OS Card Reference). SKE40858.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 84 NW 3 - November, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4354.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 84 NW 3 - January, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4355.

<9> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading