Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 600 to 1899. Church mainly 13th century in date but containing a possible Saxon arch. Additions were carried out during the 14th and 15th century. A restoration took place in the 19th century. The church is constructed of Rag stone with a plain tile roof.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Post Medieval - 600 AD to 1899 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 85 NW 17 :
[TR 22026057] St. Mary's Church [NAT] (1) The Church of St. Mary, Stodmarsh, is 13th c. restored in the 19th c. (2) In normal use. (3) Church of St Mary, Stodmarsh Road, Stodmarsh. Grade I. C13, restored, the nave in 1888 and the chancel in 1891. (4) [For full description see list]. Additional bibliography. (5)
This church was quite heavily restored in the late 19th century (Nave, 1888-9 by Cowell and Bromley of Canterbury, and chancel in 1891), and virtually all the fittings in the church date from this time (pews, choir stalls, floor-tiles, font, etc.,) as does the south porch and renewed top (and shingle work) of the bell-turret. The whole of the north wall of the nave was also refaced in 1888-9, and all the dressings of the north and south windows were renewed in Bath stone, as were many of the external quoins of the nave, including the western angle-buttresses. The chancel quoins and external window-jambs were also mostly renewed with Bath stone in 1891. Internally the nave walls were re-rendered/plastered in l888-9, but not the chancel walls. The boarded ceiling in the chancel, and perhaps the thin wall under the Rood Screen also perhaps date from 1891. The pulpit was given in c. 1900.

Despite all of this, the church still retains several very fine medieval features. The earliest part of the present fabric is the 12th century north and south walls of the nave, which contain one original splayed window on the south-west. This is of Caenstone, and is round-headed internally, but slightly pointed externally (hence perhaps a later 12th century date). The flint quoins on the south-east side of the nave (butted by the 13th century chancel south wall) may in part be original 12th century work, though the original quoins here were probably of Caenstone.

There are two loose architectural fragments on the southern wall-plate in the vestry, which have relief decoration on them of a mid-12th century date (compare the font in St. Martin’s church, Canterbury - 4 miles away to the south-west). They may be fragments from an earlier font. One fragment has parts of two engaged cushion capitals, while the other has interlocking circles with pellets, and appears to be a rin fragment.

The chancel was rebuilt in the mid-13th century at about the time when the church was given to the Poor Priests’ Hospital Canterbury, with pairs of lancets in the north and south, and east walls (the latter pair being larger). There are also the remains of the probably contemporary piscina (south-east) and aumbry recess (north-east) in the chancel. The internal jambs of all the windows and rere-arches are of chalk block, while externally (now only visible on the north), the jambs were of Reigate stone. Underneath the west lancet of the north wall, at external ground level, there are traces of a flint relieving arch. This possibly indicates an earlier (or ?contemporary) burial here under the north wall. Nothing of this is now visible inside. The chancel walls were originally rendered externally.

The south doorway of the nave, which is a plain pointed arched doorway with a continuous flat chamfor, was also probably a 13th century insertion. It has a mass-dial, and various crosses cut into the jambs, and is made of Caenstone, as are the internal jambs.

At some time perhaps in the earlier 14th century, the west wall of the nave was demolished, and rebuilt slightly further westwards with diagonal buttresses. One can still see the long Ragstone ties on the north and south sides. On this date is the now boarded-up (internally) west doorway, and the two-light trefoiled window (with square head) above. This window has jambs of Caen and of late victorian Bathstone, while the doorway below has internal Caenstone jambs, and worn Reigate stone jambs and arch outside (with a continuous hollow chamfer). Unfortunately quite a few of the stones were replaced in the 1980’s with Lepine stone. This mechanically cut material now stands proud of the rest. There are carved head stops on either side of the doorway, externally, in Reigate stone (north) and Caen (south).

Inside the west end of the nave is a fine timber frame on four massive posts on raised ground-plate (the latter probably replaced in 1888-9). On the north and south sides are large scissor braces, while to the east and west are large arch-braces with moulded caps below which support the timber-frame (now above a boarded ceiling). In this bell-turret, which was restored externally in 1888-9, are two ancient bells: a late 16th century treble inscribed’ Above all things love God’, and a very early tenor, inscribed ‘Ave Maria Gracia Plena’, possible of 13th century date. The area under the bell-frame is now a curtained-off vestry.

Although the two-light north window in the nave was large re-made in 1888-9, its traceried top still contains some c. 15th century stained glass canopies. Hasted describes this glass, still complete in the late 18th century as ‘the figure of the blessed Virgin, crowned, with the child in her arms; and the figure of a woman, with the head of an old man lying on her arm; both beautifully done’. Sadly all this had gone.

There is a brass indent in the nave, from which a brass inscription (now on north wall) was taken it says: ‘Here lieth Willian Barnedyle gentleman the which William died the X day of July in the year of oure Lord thousand cccclxiiii (ie 1464) on whose sowll 1.H.S. have mercy. Amen? The two bay crown-post roof over the chancel, and the three-bay crown-post roof over the nave are both probably of 15th century date. The earliest south porch (replaced in the 1888-9 restoration), may also have been 15th century. There are also two grave-markers (?in situ) outside the south wall of the nave (Recorded by Ben Stocker). (7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 85 NW BEARSTED CHURCH LANE (east side)
6/3 Church of The Holy Cross 23.5.67 I
Parish Church. One arch possibly Saxon. Rest C13,C14 and C15, restored in C19. Rag stone with plain-tile roof. West tower, nave, south porch, south vestry, chancel, north aisle. 3-stage west tower on plinth with diagonal buttresses, south east stair turret and crenellated parapet. 3 beasts on the parapet, all restorations. C15 belfry openings. South porch has C15 stoup to right of door into church. C13 lancet window in south wall of nave immediately west of porch. Re-used C15 east window to C19 vestry. C13 lancet window in south wall of chancel. Window at north-east end of aisle has a 2-light window with ogee heads to the lights, a flat-headed trefoil light between the two shoulders and a hood-mould over with label stops. C14 windows in centre and at north-west end of aisle, also with hood-moulds and label stops. Interior: 4-bay north arcade; 2 west bays with early C14 hollow chamfers and round piers, 2 east bays rebuilt in C15. Remains of an arch with a throughstone at west end of arcade, C12 or earlier (J. Newman, "West Kent and the Weald", 1969, 1980 edition). Roof over east end of aisle canted, ribbed and boarded, with moulded cornice, rest C20. Inner architrave of central window in south wall of nave has 2 slender attached columns on either side with bell capitals and bases. Lancet window in chancel has crocketted impost. Rood loft stair in south wall of nave.Sedile and piscina with shoulders and a flat top, C13. C19 panels and pews at east end of nave and aisle. Monuments: Stone tablet with brass panel bearing inscription, brass coat of arms and elaborate achieve- ments, in east wall of north aisle, to "Henrye Brockill of Aldington neare Thurnham Esqire", died 1596. Stone tablet with brass figures and inscribed brass panel at east end of north wall of north aisle, to Susanna Cage, died 1634; signed I.C. Wall monument in east wall of aisle to Elizabeth Andras, first wife to Sir Thomas Fludde of Millgate, undated, early C17. Monument against north wall of tower to Doctor Robert Fludd, died 1637; bust on an inscribed plinth with corniced top and moulded base. Stone tablet on east inside wall of south porch to "Steven Mason late Cytezen and Vyntener of London and Margarete hys wyfe..", Margarete died 1552, no date for Steven, (Vintners' shield above inscription); slender attached columns with moulded capitals and bases supporting four-centred arched head with carved spandrels and hood-mould over. 2 plain floor tablets at east end of north aisle to Eleonor, John and Guillemo Cage, late C17, stone, with coat of arms, in good condition. Listing NGR: TQ8005655732 (12)

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

<2> Ministry of Housing & Local Government Provisional List Maidstone r.D. Oct 1960 5 No 24/1 (OS Card Reference). SKE47213.

<3> F1 ASP 26-Jun-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42309.

<4> DOE (HHR) Boro of Maidstone Kent 20 July 1984 2 (OS Card Reference). SKE39879.

<5> Anglo- Saxon Archit 3 1978 1071 (H M Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE33072.

<6> Bldgs of Eng Kent W Kent & the Weald 1969 139-40 (N Pevsner & J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37735.

<7> Bldgs of Eng-West Kent & the Weald 1980 143-144 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38135.

<8> Arch Cant 61 1948 52-53 plan (F C Elliston-Erwood) (OS Card Reference). SKE35331.

<9> Arch Cant 62 1949 103-107 (F C Elliston-Erwood) (OS Card Reference). SKE35338.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 85 NW 17 - June, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4437.

<11> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1996, Church Survey - Holy Cross Church, Bearsted (Unpublished document). SKE7565.

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

Sources and further reading

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