Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1000 to 1899 Church, late 11th century & later. The 11th or 12th century North tower was converted in the 14th century into a chapel with parvise over. The rest of the church is 12th-15th century. The late Norman font is described by Pevsner as one of the finest in the country.There is strong evidence that Harrietsham was a minster created in a second wave of minster creation in Kent from the 8th to mid-10th centuries.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Modern - 1000 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Description from record TQ 85 SE 1:
[TQ 8747 5300] St. John the Baptist's Church NAT (1) The Church of St. John the Baptist, Harrietsham, contains late 11th c., early 13th c., early 14th c., late 14th c., and late 15th c., work. (2) In normal use. (3) Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Grade 1. Late C11 or C12, C13, C14 and C15. (4)(5)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
HARRIETSAM TQ 85 SE 4/8 Church of St. John 26.4.68. The Baptist GV I Parish church. Late C11 or C12, C13, C14 and C15. Ragstone, with plain tile roof. West tower, nave, south aisle, south porch, south chapel, chancel, 2 stages of a north tower (converted, probably in C14 to chapel with parvis above), north aisle. West tower: C15 (after 1479: J. Newman, North East and East Kent, 1969). Ashlared ragstone base with roughly coursed galletted stone above. 3 stages on plinth with diagonal buttresses and south-east stair turret, both with battlemented parapets. 2-light uncusped belfry windows. Perpendicular west window in coved architrave with hood- mould. West door with moulded 4-centred arched head with carved spandrel either side, each springing from a slender attached column with moulded capital and base. Architrave coved either side of arch, outer architrave square-topped with further moulding and hood-mould with angles as label-stops. South aisle: walls C15, of mixed flint and stone, with fragments of re-used tufa. On moulded plinth, with moulded string and corner gargoyles below battlements. 3 stone buttresses on moulded plinths. Polygonal battlemented south-east rood stair turret. C15 west window and two C15 south windows, all with hood-moulds. South porch: in same materials, with continuation of moulded plinth. C19 sundial. Moulded 3-centred arched doorway with decorative cast iron gates. Moulded crown-posts, other members chamfered. 3-centred arched moulded inner doorway. South chapel: C14 on C13 site. Roughly knapped coursed flint interspersed with stone and incorporating small pieces of tufa. Separately gabled. Plinthless, with two C15 buttresses. C15 south window with hood-mould and blocked recticulated windows, one south and one east. Chancel: walls C13 or earlier. Mixed uncut flint and stone rubble on coursed stone base. Stonework broadens at base. Diagonal east buttresses, possibly added. Restored C15 south window with hood-mould. 3 tall stepped east lancets. Single north lancet and Cl5 north window with hood-mould, both restored 1952. North tower: Late Cll or C12. Roughly coursed uncut flint and stone rubble, interspersed with tufa. Tufa quoins to north-east, north-west and south-east. Stonework broadens at base. North west diagonal buttress. Reticulated east window to ground floor. Single cusped first floor north light with ogee head. C15 style ground floor north window with hood-mould probably C19. C19 2-centred arched east door. North west stair turret to north tower: C15, but possibly with C14 origins, on moulded plinth, reaching to top of first stage of tower. North aisle: C15 walls of roughly coursed ragstone interspersed with flint. Possibly earlier base with pieces of tufa. Plinthless. Moulded string beneath battlements, with corner gargoyle. Two C15 north, and one west, windows with hood-moulds. Interior: Structure: North tower has C13 quadripartite vault to ground floor with thick chamfered ribs springing from slender shafts set in corners, with wall ribs forming pointed arches between. 2 east shafts missing. South doorway with pointed arch springing from rectangular east pier with plain abacus. West side of doorway blocked in connection with C14 chancel arch. 2-bay arcade between chancel and south chapel; pointed arches, chamfer-stopped rectangular piers on square stepped bases with undercut capitals surmounted by roll and hollow string. 3-bay nave; south arcade early C14 with octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases and double-chamfered arches; north arcade shorter, abutting north tower, raised, similar, but probably late C14. Plain-chamfered 3-centred west arch to south chapel, C14 double- chamfered chancel arch, C14 chamfered west arch to north chapel, and C15 tower arch with attached columns. Small C15 doorways with hollow chamfer, pointed arch and broach stops containing C15 ribbed and traceried doors, to north and south rood-loft (and parvis) stairs and west tower stair turret. Upper rood- loft door to south; and another very high up in south wall of north tower. C19 roofs to chancel and south chapel. C15 crown- post roof to nave, restored. Moulded side-purlin lean-to roofs to aisles. Fittings and decoration: Finely-carved and possibly restored late C12 font of Bethersden marble and chevroned stem and large rope motif to bowl; "one of the finest Norman fonts in the country". (J. Newman: Buildings of England, North-East and East Kent, 1969). Piscina in south wall of chancel and east wall of ground floor of north tower. Aumbries in east wall of chancel. C13 moulded string-course to chancel. Patterned medieval encaustic floor tiles to chancel. C15 traceried screen between nave and chancel, with further fragments in south chapel, restored and added to in 1885. C17 communion rail with moulded rail and turned balusters, possibly restored. Royal Coat of Arms dated 1795 over south door. Large Benefactors Board 1805 on south wall.Monuments: Matrix of brass in floor of east end of chancel. In south chapel: C14 ogee-headed tomb recess with crocketted pinacles, in south wall. Wall monument above it to Sr. Edwyn Stede Knt. (Lieutenant Governor of Barbados), d. 1695. Erected 1715. By James Hardy. Tablet surmounted by skulls and cherub's head. Base carved with flowers and cherubs head. Side panels have elongated scrolls to base with foliage springing from them up sides towards Composite capitals. Slightly projecting twisted columns between side panels and tablet, also with Composite capitals. Moulded frieze, projecting over the columns, surmounted by open pedi- ment containing excutcheon. Table tomb partly let into recess in south wall, to William Stede, d. 1574; moulded plinth, plain cornice to lid, inscription in recess. 2 wall monuments above this; tablet to Constance Stede, d. 1714, also by Hardy, but plainer than that to Sr. Edwyn Stede; brass set in moulded stone, to Susanna Partieriche, d. 1603, woman and children kneeling on paved floor shown in perspective, with 3 shields above. On east wall, large mem- orial to Charlotte Baldwin, d. 1788. Rectangular tablet with fluted boarder and striated side panels, moulded cornice with 2 vases and very tall grey obelisk above. Below this, tablet to William Baldwin, d.1839; white marble sarcophagus in low relief on larger black marble panel. (J. Newman, Buildings on England, North-East and East Kent, 1969). Listing NGR: TQ8692552897 (6)

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

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

<2> M H L G Prov List Holingbourne RD Nov 1960 29 no 14/1 (OS Card Reference). SKE46221.

<3> F1 ASP 25-Jun-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42285.

<4> DOE (HHR) Boro of Maidstone Kent 14 Dec 1984 5-6 (OS Card Reference). SKE39869.

<5> Bldgs of Eng-NE & E Kent 1983 342 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38116.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 85 SE 1 - June, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4447.

Sources and further reading