Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1736 to 1846 Church - pre 1119, Parish church. Rebuilt during 1736 for Sir Philip Boteler. Alterations of 1848. Roughly coursed galleted ragstone with ashlar dressings. Plain tile roof. An inscription to commemorate the life of James Ramsay (1733-1789) the abolitionist preacher and pamphleteer can be found in this church. Another inscription records the life of his black servant Nestor who was also buried here.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Post Medieval to Modern - 1736 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 75 SW 14 :
[TQ 70555350] St. Peter and St. Paul's Church [NAT] (1) The church at Teston is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. It was given in 1119 to Leeds Priory. (2) The style of architecture and the windows suggest an 18th c. rebuilding, or the refenestration of nave and chancel with the addition of transepts, vestry and small wings to either side of the west tower in the 18th c. No early features are visible. The church is in use for ecclesiastical purposes. (3) In normal use. (4) Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Church Street, Teston. Grade II*. Parish church. Rebuilt 1736 for Sir Philip Boteler. Alterations of 1846. [For full description see list]. (5-6)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
CHURCH STREET TQ 75 SW TESTON (South Side) 2/247 Church of St. Peter and St. Paul 23.5.67 GV II*
Parish church. Rebuilt 1736 for Sir Philip Boteler. Alterations of 1848. Roughly coursed galleted ragstone with ashlar dressings. Plain tile roof. Wood shingles to spire. Cruciform, with west tower. West tower: 2 stages. Red and grey brick parapet with ashlar dressings, above ashlar plat band. Octagonal spire with weathervane. Round-arched louvred belfry windows with keystones. Smaller rounded-arched window with keystone, to base of upper stage. Narrow round-headed window to low sections in angles between tower and nave. Recessed panelled double doors to west in proud eared and shouldered stone architrave surmounted by rectangular fanlight with moulded stone cornice. Architrave hinged on each side for outer doors. Nave: south-west buttress. Stone-coped gable ends with moulded stone kneelers. Two round-headed windows with proud stone architraves, plain imposts, and keystones. South transept: flanking gable buttresses. Stone-coped gable with moulded kneelers. Mid C19 south and west windows. East window similar to nave windows. South doorway similar to west doorway; but with ashlar panel in place of fanlight. Small round-headed panelled door to east with bevelled stone architrave. Small iron oven? door to base of south side. Chancel: flanking gable buttresses. Stone- coped gable with moulded kneelers. Single-light C19 windows to north and south, C19 three-light east window. Memorial tablet with shallow cornice and consoles to east end, to Revd. James Ramsay, d.1789. North transept: gabled as rest. No east window. C19 west light. 3-light C19 north window with moulded stone cill extending across gable end below it. East doorway and north doorway as in south transept. Nave: north elevation: west end buttress. Coped gable. Two windows similar to south windows. Interior: structure: entrance lobby under tower with channelled render to walls, and plastered quadripartite vault springing from bell corbels. Large blocked round-headed window between nave and ringing chamber of tower, with proud stone architrave, imposts and keystone. Internal north and south doorways to transepts to same design as external doorways. Roof: canted and boarded throughout. Fittings: 2-light medieval window with trefoil-headed lights and un-traceried pointed arch re-set as sedile in south wall of chancel. Medieval stone aumbry with chamfered segmental head to west of sedile. Blocked window with triangular head to north wall of chancel. Wooden reredos of circa 1736, extending across east end, with broad central panel flanked by fluted engaged Corinthian columns and surmounted by dentilled and moulded open-topped triangular pediment. Fluted Corinthian pilasters and dentilled and moulded cornice to four side panels. Eared and shouldered central panel with Ten Commandments, outer panels with texts, Creed and Lord's Prayer. Hexagonal C18 pulpit with inlaid fielded panels, moulded base and cornice, and turned balusters to stairs. Octagonal stone font. Iron heating grille with fretwork design running up centre of nave and across transepts. Royal Arms to east wall of north transept, signed and dated John Adams 1811. Six funeral hatchments to nave. (J. Newman, B.O.E. Series, West Kent and the Weald, 1980). Listing NGR: TQ7042453504 (9)

Diocese of Rochester (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1995, Teston, St Peter and Paul:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29517.

<1> OS 6" 1938 (OS Card Reference). SKE48349.

<2> History of Kent 5 1798 135 (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44129.

<3> F1 ASP 03-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41908.

<4> F2 CFW 11-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43220.

<5> DOE (HHR) Dist of Maidstone Kent 26 February 1987 135 (OS Card Reference). SKE40298.

<6> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 567 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38096.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 75 SW 14 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3998.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 75 SW 14 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3999.

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

Sources and further reading