Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1067 to 1899. Norman and later

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1067 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 13 NE 16 :
[TR 18263737] Church [T.U.] (1) The Church of St Nicholas, Newington, has a Norman chancel-arch, but is otherwise C13th. (2,3) In normal use. (4) TR 13 NE NEWINGTON THE STREET (East Side) 4/49 Church of St. Nicholas 29.12.66 GV II* Parish church. Late C11 or C12 and C13, with late C18 or early C19 alteration. Uncoursed stone rubble with ashlared dressings. North porch stone with red brick cornice to sides, buff brick with ashlared stone dressings to front. Plain tile roofs. Shingled bell turret with leaded roof. Nave, incorporating west bell turret. Chancel with north chapel. North aisle, narrower than chapel incorporating vestry to west. North porch. Nave: late C11 or C12. Round-headed doorway to west gable end, with small voussoirs and no imposts. Lower part of west section of south wall thickened. 4 south windows; one trefoil-headed light above east end of thickened section, one segmental-headed window of 3 cinquefoil-headed lights with hoodmould, one square-headed window of 2 cinquefoil-headed lights with hoodmould and one C19 or C20 light. Blocked round-headed south doorway. Bell turret: late C18 or early C19 rectangular turret rising from west end of nave, with louvred pointed-arched belfry light to each face and leaded ogee spirelet with weathervane. Chancel: C13. Two restored trefoil-headed lights to south, 2 rendered east lancets. North chapel: C13. Gabled, with 2 north buttresses. C14 three-light east window with cusped intersecting tracery. 2 small north lancets. Blocked lancet to west gable. North aisle: C13 or C14. Vestry C19. Lean-to. Wall thickened towards west end. Small round-headed lancet to each side of porch. Vestry window of two chamfered round-headed lights with grilles. Porch: late C18 or early C19. Bargeboards. Narrow lightly-fluted stone plat band across gable. Pointed-arched brick outer doorway with double doors panelled at base, half-glazed above. Stone inner doorway with chamfered pointed arch and double doors each with 3 fielded panels. Interior: Structure: 3-bay nave arcade of unchamfered pointed arches springing from chamfered imposts. Lower, narrower restored arch to east end of arcade, probably associated with roof-loft stairs. Round-headed chancel arch with chamfered imposts. Arch between chancel and north chapel similar to nave arcade. Roof: nave roof 1958 in 7 cants. Chancel roof ribbed and panelled in 6 cants. Chapel roof plastered in 5 uneven cants. Fittings: hagioscope between chapel and chancel, trefoil-headed to chapel side, and with rectangular aumbry beside it to chancel. Hexagonal pulpit with base of linen fold panelling and and crocketted upper panels possibly re-used from C15 screen. Circular font on five stone shafts with ring-moulded bases, outer 4 shafts of scallop-shell plan. Monuments: On south wall of nave (probably removed from chancel floor):- half brass of a woman, circa 1480?; brass to Richard Ryege, d.1522, and 3 wives. On south wall of chancel; brass to priest John Clerk, d.1501, and brass to Thomas Chylton, d.1501, with wife and 3 children. Brass on chapel floor to Henry Brockman, d.1630; armoured man with wife, 7 children, shields and border. Plain brass on north wall of chapel to Helen Strout and children, all d.1628. Black and white marble tablet on south wall of chancel to James Brockman, d.1767, by J.F Moore. Fluted side pilasters with classical enrichment; concave-shouldered frieze surmounted by sarcophagus and boat. Stone tablet on west wall of chapel to Christophar Petty, d.1668, with coat of arms. Marble tablet on south wall of chapel, to W. Brockman, d. 1741; rectangular, with moulded edges and moulded cornice surmounted by arms and achievements. Latin inscription. Plain rectangular tablet below giving English translation. (J. Newman, B.O.E. Series, North East and East Kent, 1983). (5) (6)

Though a church is mentioned in Domesday Book (1086), there is no
evidence in the fabric of the present church of an Anglo-Saxon, or an early Norman church.
The present building started as an early 12th century nave and chancel, and this perhaps fits the
dedication (St. Nicholas was brought to Bari, Otaly from Myra), and the historical evidence of
the church being given to the Abbess and Convent of Guines in c. 1130.

A simple two-celled structure was probably built at about this time of the local Kentish
Ragstone, with Ragstone block quoins. The round-headed chancel arch, and the blocked
south doorway are original features and the dressings are apparently of Caen stone.

In the early 13th century a lean-to to north aisle and a north-east (probably from the beginning,
a Lady) chapel were built contemporaneously, after making three pointed- arches in the north
wall of the nave, and a single arch in the north chancel wall. A pointed arch also connects the
aisle of the chapel, and all these arches have Ragstone dressings with comb-chisel tooling.
The simple north doorway with a Ragstone pointed arch with a continuous chamfer is also 13th
century, though the two round-headed windows in the north-aisle wall appear to be reset and
restorations (they were reopened, and are rectangular inside). The north-east chapel has two
early 13th century lancets on the north, as well as the north jamb of one of the original east
windows. This was replaced in the late 13th century by the present 3-light east window with
decorated tracery. The pair of lancets in the east wall of the chancel are also apparently 13th
century replacements for the original windows, and there appears to have been a narrow
doorway (now blocked) on the south-west side of the chancel. It seems likely that the original
chancel was heavily rebuilt in the early 13th century.

The font in the north aisle, with a round bowl on 5 shafts, may also be 13th century in origin.
It had a late medieval timber cover until the late 19th century.

In the early 14th century, the nave of the church appears to have been extended westwards
with the thicker walls (really a high plinth on the south). A trefoil-headed was added on the
south, and a new west doorway was put in. Unfortunately the whole of the upper part of the
west wall has been rebuilt (in 1907), and only the relieving arch survives of the 14th century
west doorway. The inserted round-headed (`Norman') west doorway is clearly a modern
structure. The west wall also perhaps indicates that there was originally a west buttress at the
west end of the nave north wall (now gone).

This extension westwards of the nave may have been for a tower, but it was never completed,
and instead a timber-framed belfry was out into the roof. This is on four `large posts and is
behind the organ.

The present shingled belfry, with its ogeed cap, was rebuilt in 1907, and the following year the
five bells were rehung, and a sixth bell was added (according to an inscription in the church).
The north-west vestry, which has a buff brick north-west quoin was also perhaps built at this
time, as was presumably the north porch.

Two trefoil-headed windows were put into the south side of the chancel in the early 14th
century, but these have heavy external repairs in cement. There is also a trefoil-headed squint
from the Lady Chapel into the chancel.

In the 15th century two Perpendicular windows were put into the south side of the nave. A
three-light window on the west, and a two light window on the east with a square hood-
mould. At the south-east corner of the nave was a tall low window (perhaps originally with a
transom), but the lower part is blocked, and the upper part is totally restored.

A fine hexagonal late 15th century pulpit is in the south-east corner of the nave, but this was
probably converted from the font-cover in the late 19th century.

Until the late 19th century, and mentioned by Glynne, there was a gallery pew for the
Brockman family in the arch of the north-west side of the nave. All the roofs seem to have
been remade in the 19th century, and the two east gables built up with a stone coping. (9)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:

TR 13 NE NEWINGTON THE STREET (East Side)
4/49 Church of St. 29.12.66 Nicholas
GV II*
Parish church. Late C11 or C12 and C13, with late C18 or early C19 alterations. Uncoursed stone rubble with ashlared dressings. North porch stone with red brick cornice to sides, buff brick with ashlared stone dressings to front. Plain tile roofs. Shingled bell turret with leaded roof. Nave, incorporating west bell turret. Chancel with north chapel. North aisle, narrower than chapel incorporating vestry to west. North porch. Nave: late C11 or C12. Round-headed doorway to west gable end, with small voussoirs and no imposts. Lower part of west section of south wall thickened. 4 south windows; one trefoil-headed light above east end of thickened section, one segmental-headed window of 3 cinquefoil-headed lights with hoodmould, one square-headed window of 2 cinquefoil-headed lights with hoodmould and one C19 or C20 light. Blocked round-headed south doorway. Bell turret: late C18 or early C19 rectangular turret rising from west end of nave, with louvred pointed-arched belfry light to each face and leaded ogee spirelet with weathervane. Chancel: C13. Two restored trefoil-headed lights to south, 2 rendered east lancets. North chapel: C13. Gabled, with 2 north buttresses. C14 three-light east window with cusped intersecting tracery. 2 small north lancets. Blocked lancet to west gable. North aisle: C13 or C14. Vestry C19. Lean-to. Wall thickened towards west end. Small round-headed lancet to each side of porch. Vestry window of two chamfered round-headed lights with grilles. Porch: late C18 or early C19. Bargeboards. Narrow lightly-fluted stone plat band across gable. Pointed-arched brick outer doorway with double doors panelled at base, half-glazed above. Stone inner doorway with chamfered pointed arch and double doors each with 3 fielded panels. Interior: Structure: 3-bay nave arcade of unchamfered pointed arches springing from chamfered imposts. Lower, narrower restored arch to east end of arcade, probably associated with rood-loft stairs. Round-headed chancel arch with chamfered imposts. Arch between chancel and north chapel similar to nave arcade. Roof: nave roof 1958 in 7 cants. Chancel roof ribbed and panelled in 6 cants. Chapel roof plastered in 5 uneven cants. Fittings: hagioscope between chapel and chancel, trefoil-headed to chapel side, and with rectangular aumbry beside it to chancel. Hexagonal pulpit with base of linenfold panelling and and crocketted upper panels possibly re-used from C15 screen. Circular font on five stone shafts with ring-moulded bases, outer 4 shafts of scallop-shell plan. Monuments: On south wall of nave (probably removed from chancel floor):- half brass of a woman, circa 1480?; brass to Richard Ryege, d.1522, and 3 wives. On south wall of chancel; brass to priest John Clerk, d.1501, and brass to Thomas Chylton, d.1501, with wife and 3 children. Brass on chapel floor to Henry Brockman, d.1630; armoured man with wife, 7 children, shields and border. Plain brass on north wall of chapel to Helen Strout and children, all d.1628. Black and white marble tablet on south wall of chancel to James Brockman, d.1767, by J.F. Moore. Fluted side pilasters with classical enrichment; concave- shouldered frieze surmounted by sarcophagus and boat. Stone tablet on west wall of chapel to Christophar Petty, d.1668, with coat of arms. Marble tablet on south wall of chapel, to W. Brockman, d.1741; rectangular, with moulded edges and moulded cornice surmounted by arms and achievements. Latin inscription. Plain rectangular tablet below giving English translation. (J. Newman, B.O.E. Series, North East and East Kent, 1983). Listing NGR: TR1830137501 (10)

Historic England archive material: OP25296 View of St Nicholas' Church, Newington, from the south-east This print was accessioned by the National Monuments Record on 9th May 196

E.W. Parkin, Arch Cant 1986, 1986, The Church of St. Nicholas, Newington (Article in serial). SKE29294.

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

<2> "Churches of Kent" vol. 2, 1913, 43 (F. Grayling) (OS Card Reference). SKE32601.

<3> MHLG (2074/11/A, Sep.1960) 33 (OS Card Reference). SKE47009.

<4> F1 ASP 26-APR-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42302.

<5> DOE(HHR) Dist of Shepway Kent 15 May 1986 32 (OS Card Reference). SKE41055.

<6> Bldgs of Eng - NE & E Kent 1980 400 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37663.

<7> Field report for monument TR 13 NE 16 - April, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5340.

<8> RPS Clouston, 1994, Folkestone & Dover Water services: Bluehouse to Cherry Garden Trunk Main (Unpublished document). SKE6910.

<9> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1996, Churches Report - St Nicholas, Newington (Unpublished document). SKE7547.

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

Sources and further reading