Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1913. The Church of St. Thomas Becket, Fairfield, 2 miles south of Appledore Station. The church is mentioned in 1294. Fairfield Church is a timber church. The roofs are original, possibly 14th c. and the internal square framing of the western turret is contemporary. One upright of the original framing remains in the north wall. Reconstructed, and most of timbers renewed, in 1912-13 by W.D. Caroe in chequered red and grey brick with thin tiles to corbels (possibly replacing C18 brick-work). West gable end plain brownish-red brick. Wood shingled bell turret. East end of nave tile-hung above chancel, east end of chancel weatherboarded above wall-plate. Plain tile roofs. Nave, incorporating west bell turret; south porch; small low chancel. Bell turret has pryamidal roof. Nave and chancel roofs gabled, chancel with decorative, possibly medieval, barge-boards. Leaded rectangular casment windows throughout church, except chancel east window which contains small quantity of stained glass; all 1912-13. Boarded outer and inner doors to porch, the former with thin tiles to head of architrave. Chequered red and grey brick mounting block to west end, probably 1912-13. Interior: Nave and chancel separately framed, with evidence for virtually closed close-studded partitions to west truss of chancel and to east truss of nave. Chancel of 2 timber framed bays, nave of 2 1/2, with gunstock-jowled principal posts and some evidence for arch braces to wall-plates; walls otherwise rendered. Cambered arch-braced tie-beams, (those to chancel about 7 feet from ground), braces chamfered, with solid spandrels and continued with chamfered fillets. Similar moulded octagonal crown-posts to central trusses of nave and chancel. Half bay to west end of nave, beneath bell turret, enclosed to north and south with close-studded partitions, each with door to east, leaving central area open to west gable end to contain font.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 92 NE 6:
[TQ 9667 2649] St. Thomas a Becket's Church [NAT] (1) The Church of St. Thomas Becket, Fairfield, 2 miles south of Appledore Station, was restored in 1912-13 when it was found that 18th c. alterations covered old timber framing filled in with brickwork and previously with plaster. The church is mentioned in 1294. (2) Fairfield Church is a timber church. The roofs are original, possibly 14th c. and the internal square framing of the western turret is contemporary. One upright of the original framing remains in the north wall. (3) In normal use. (4) TQ 967 265 SNARGATE FAIRFIELD Church of St. Thomas 5/118 a Becket and Mounting block attached 9.6.59 I Parish church. C15, possibly on earlier foundations with C18 fittings. Reconstructed, and most of timbers renewed, in 1912-13 by W.D. Caroe. Timber framed, clad 1912-13 in chequered red and grey brick with thin tiles to corbels (possibly replacing C18 brick-work). West gable end plain brownish-red brick. Wood shingled bell turret. East end of nave tile-hung above chancel, east end of chancel weatherboarded above wall-plate. Plain tile roofs. Nave, incorporating west bell turret; south porch; small low chancel. Bell turret has pryamidal roof. Nave and chancel roofs gabled, chancel with decorative, possibly medieval, barge-boards. Leaded rectangular casment windows throughout church, except chancel east window which contains small quantity of stained glass; all 1912-13. Boarded outer and inner doors to porch, the former with thin tiles to head of architrave. Chequered red and grey brick mounting block to west end, probably 1912-13. Interior: Nave and chancel separately framed, with evidence for virtually closed close-studded partitions to west truss of chancel and to east truss of nave. Chancel of 2 timber framed bays, nave of 2 1/2, with gunstock-jowled principal posts and some evidence for arch braces to wall-plates; walls otherwise rendered. Cambered arch-braced tie-beams, (those to chancel about 7 feet from ground), braces chamfered, with solid spandrels and continued with chamfered fillets. Similar moulded octagonal crown-posts to central trusses of nave and chancel. Half bay to west end of nave, beneath bell turret, enclosed to north and south with close-studded partitions, each with door to east, leaving central area open to west gable end to contain font.

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 967 265 SNARGATE
FAIRFIELD
5/118 Church of St. Thomas a Becket and 9.6.59 Mounting block attached
I
Parish church C15, possibly on earlier foundations with C18 fittings. Reconstructed, and most of timbers renewed, in 1912-13 by W.D. Caroe. Timber framed, clad 1912-13 in chequered red and grey brick with thin tiles to corbels (possibly replacing C18 brick-work). West gable end plain brownish-red brick. Wood shingled bell turret. East end of nave tile-hung above chancel, east end of chancel weatherboarded above wall- plate. Plain tile roofs. Nave, incorporating west bell turret; south porch; small low chancel. Bell turret has pryamidal roof. Nave and chancel roofs gabled, chancel with decorative, possibly medieval, barge- boards. Leaded rectangular casement windows throughout church, except chancel east window which contains small quantity of stained glass; all 1912-13. Boarded outer and inner doors to porch, the former with thin tiles to head of architrave. Chequered red and grey brick mounting block to west end, probably 1912-13. Interior: Nave and chancel separately framed, with evidence for virtually closed close-studded partitions to west truss of chancel and to east truss of nave. Chancel of 2 timber framed bays, nave of 2½, with gunstock- jowled principal posts and some evidence for arch braces to wall-plates; walls otherwise rendered. Cambered arch-braced tie-beams, (those to chancel about 7 feet from ground), braces chamfered, with solid spandrels and continued with chamfered fillets. Similar moulded octagonal crown-posts to central trusses of nave and chancel. Half bay to west end of nave, beneath bell turret, enclosed to north and south with close-studded partitions, each with door to east, leaving central area open to west gable end to contain font. On circular stone base with heptagonal plinth and base. Fittings: Heptagonal ragstone font on circular stone base with heptagonal plinth and base; possibly C15, or possibly 1660s (J. Newman, Buildings of England Series, West Kent and the Weald, 1980). Altar rails: early C18 balusters with plain handrail; Laudian plan. Text boards to east end bearing Lord's Prayer, Creed and Decalogue. C18 box pews to nave and south side of chancel, with fielded panels except last pew to west on each side which are plainer. C18 3-decker pulpit, said to be the only one surviving in Kent. 9 oval text boards to nave, one dedicatory dated 1804. The church is in an isolated position in the marshes and has no churchyard. Reference to a timber-framed church on the site, in poor condition, 1294 (E. Woodruff, "Some Early Visitation Rolls", Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. XXXII 1917). Referred to by Hasted as built of brick and seeming to be "but of very modern date..." (Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Vol.VIII, 2nd Edit. 1797-1801, Republished 1972). Photographs in west end of church showing work in progress 1912-13.
Listing NGR: TQ9720525992 (9)

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

<2> "Kent" 1935, p.164 (J.C. Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE32665.

<3> "Churches of Kent" vol. 1, 1913, p.145 (F. Grayling) (OS Card Reference). SKE32600.

<4> F1 ASP 04-MAR-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41921.

<5> DOE(HHR) Dist of Shepway Kent April 1985 62-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41064.

<6> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 281 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37864.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 92 NE 6 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4697.

<8> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1998, Snargate, St Thomas Becket:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29493.

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

Sources and further reading