Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1167 to 1799. St Mary's Church. Grade B. Chancel, nave with south aisle and porch and squat west tower. The nave is Norman with later windows. The tower was added about 1200. The chancel is 13th century with a 14th century east window. The south aisle is 14th century, the south porch 19th century. The interior retains its 18th century fixtures such as box-pews which are arranged lengthwise from north to south in the south aisle with a gallery behind them occuping the whole of the south wall of the aisle, the whole arrange opposite the three-decker pulpit in the centre of the north wall of the nave. In the churchyard to the west of the church are two large yew trees. Listed Grade I.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1167 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 14 NW 4 :
[TR 14204859] St Mary's Church (NAT) (1) 4/1 The Church of St Mary. Grade B. Chancel, nave with south aisle and porch and squat west tower. The nave is Norman with later ws. The tower was added about 1200. The chancel is C.13 with a C.14 east w. The south aisle is C.14, the south porch C19. The interior retains its C.18 fixtures such as box-pews which are arranged lengthwise from north to south in the south aisle with a gallery behind them occuping the whole of the south wall of the aisle, the whole arrange opposite the three-decker pulpit in the centre of the north wall of the nave. In the churchyard to the west of the church are two large yew trees. (2) In normal use. (3) St Mary's Church is memorable because it remains unrestored, with its simple 18th century box pews, three decker pulpit and gallery in the aisle. (4) Listed Grade I. (5)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:

TR 14 NW STELLING MINNIS -
1/172 Church of St. Mary 29.12.66 I
Parish church. Late C12 or early C13, C14 and C15 and C18. Galleted flint to tower, interspersed with sandstone blocks towards base, and with red and grey brick bands and dressings. South face of tower tile-hung. Most of church flint with stone dressings, chancel with some stone interspersed. Plain tile roofs. West tower, nave, south aisle, south porch, chancel slightly narrower than nave. West tower: late C12 or early C13. No plinth. No visible stages. Barely taller than south aisle. Plain parapet, largely brick but with rendered stone copings. North-west angle buttress and single west buttress. Rectangular lancet with chamfered stone head and brick jambs to top of north face. Tile- hanging of south face unpierced. West face has chamfered rectangular lancet towards top, smaller similar lancet towards centre, and small cinquefoil-headed single-light west window with squared head, hollow spandrels and hoodmould with Wage stops. Small plain-chamfered pointed-arched west doorway without hoodmould. South aisle: late C12 or early C13 origin, with C14 fenestration. West end flush with west face of tower. No plinth. Gabled. Two south buttresses. Plain- chamfered pointed-arched west window. No windows west of porch. Single- light C14 window with trefoiled ogee head and no hoodmould east of porch. C14 pointed-arched east window with three trefoil-headed lights and tracery of intersecting glazing bars with trefoils and quatrefoils. Moulded hoodmould. South porch: C18. Red and grey brick in Flemish bond. Flint panel to gable end. Half-hipped plain tile roof. Outer doorway with cambered wooden head. Late C12 or early C13 moulded pointed-arched inner doorway, central roll-and-fillet moulding springing from slender shafts with moulded capitals and bases. Scroll- moulded hoodmould. C18 or early C19 double doors with flush panels. Chancel: late C12 or early C13. No plinth. North-east and south- east angle buttresses. Similar eaves to nave, but slightly lower ridge. Two plain-chamfered pointed-arched south windows, and one to north. Pointed-arched C14 east window with three trefoil-headed lights and tracery of quatrefoils and sexfoil in ogivals. Moulded hoodmould. Nave: north elevation. Short, broad pointed-arched window of two trefoil- headed lights with quatrefoiled ogival, and scroll-moulded hoodmould with image stops. Plain-chamfered trefoil-headed light without overall architrave towards centre, and another towards west end. Low plain- chamfered pointed-arched doorway to west of centre. Interior: structure: single broad rebated arch between south aisle and nave, springing from engaged semi-octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases; probably an C18 replacement of a former two-bay arcade. Pointed plain- chamfered chancel arch with plastered piers and high, chamfered imposts, probably altered in C18. Pointed, plain-chamfered C13 tower arch with hollow-chamfered imposts and east leading edges of wall below chamfered, with bar and cushion stops. Roof: nave roof ceiled except for central tie-beam with tall rectangular crown post with broadly-chamfered edges, bar stops and four head braces. Collared common rafter roof with sous- laces, to chancel. South aisle roof ceiled, with two tie-beams. Fittings: roll-and-filleted C13 stone string to east end of south aisle. Aumbrey and piscina towards east end of south wall of chancel, the piscina in a rebated rectangular recess, the aumbry trefoiled and rebated, immediately above it. Octagonal stone font with moulded base, buttressed stem, and bowl with two trefoil-headed panels in relief, to each face. C18 altar rails with turned balusters, moulded handrail and quirk-beaded newels with polygonal finials. Chandeliers. C18 hexagonal three-decker pulpit with sunk moulded panels, panelled back-board, and hexagonal tester, towards centre of north wall of nave, facing south aisle. Organ to west side of pulpit. Three west-facing box pews to east side of pulpit. Box pews to south side of nave and in south aisle face pulpit, leaving gangway between south porch and nave. C18 gallery with finely-dentilled frieze and moulded cornice with panelling above, on four columns across south aisle. Wooden hat-rack opposite south door. Box pews to chancel, facing north and south. Pamment floor. The pulpit and pews are relatively unusual survivals in this area. (J. Newman, Buildings of England Series, North-east and East Kent, 1983 edn.).
Listing NGR: TR1455346916 (6)

Additional abibliography (7-8)

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

<2> MHLG Prov List Elham RD Kent Sept 1960 49 (OS Card Reference). SKE47141.

<3> F1 CFW 24-APR-1963 (OS Card Reference). SKE42742.

<4> Bldgs of Eng NE & E 1983 467 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37737.

<5> Field report for monument TR 14 NW 4 - April, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5403.

<6> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<7> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1993, Stelling Minnis, St Mary:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29506.

<8> DNH List 17-Oct-1988 (OS Card Reference). SKE39776.

Sources and further reading