Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

St Mary's Church is mentioned in various wills between 1468 and 1533. In 1858, the church of St Mary the Virgin, Ebony was rebuilt on a new site as the old site was three quarters of a mile from the nearest road and houses. The graveyard survives and appears to have been in use up to c.1900. The derelict, hexagonal Chapel Bank graveyard (TQ 92812972) was surveyed in 1979 by the Tenterden Area Archaeological Group. A space among the gravestones easily fitted the approximate dimensions of the church demolished in 1858. This was preceded by a much larger medieval church destroyed by fire in the 16th century. Finds at the site include 14th and 15th century floor-tiles, some re-used in the second church; medieval pottery sherds and fragments of painted glass; seventeenth century window glass and a tiny silver coin identified as a contemporary forgery of a 14th century penny from York mint.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1400 AD? to 1858 AD)
• INHUMATION CEMETERY (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1400 AD? to 1900 AD?)

Full description

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[TQ 92812972] St Mary's Church (NR) (site of) (1) Ebeney Chapel shown at approx. the OS position. (2) The Church of St Mary of Ebony is mentioned in various wills between 1468 and 1533. (3) In 1858, the church of St Mary the Virgin, Ebony was rebuilt on a new site (TQ 92173067) as the old site was three quarters of a mile from the nearest road and houses. (a) The graveyard survives and appears to have been in use up to c.1900. (4) The derelict, hexagonal Chapel Bank graveyard (TQ 92812972) was surveyed in 1979 by the Tenterden Area Archaeological Group. A space among the gravestones easily fitted the approximate dimensions of the church demolished in 1858 (see illus). This was proceded by a much larger medieval church destroyed by fire in the 16th century. An excavation trench aligned east-west and another aligned north-south confirmed that the medieval church was, in fact, larger. Massive sandstone foundations (1.5m wide) were part of the original north walland 8.0m south of them were found the much poorer foundations of the probable later church. A stong, squarish platform appeared to be a pillar base, possibly of the medieval south aisle. The east-west aligned trench exposed foundations of a substantial wall, probably theeast will of the medieval church, beyond the grave-free area associated with the later church. Finds included 14th and 15th century floor-tiles, some re-used in the second church; medieval pottery sherds and fragments of painted glass; seventeenth century window glass and a tiny silver coin identified asa contemporary forgery of a 14th century penny from York mint. Further work is planned for 1980. (5,6)

Review of 10 years of excavations (1977-1987) that confirmed the layout of the church (9)

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

<2> Map of Kent 1769 23 (Andrews, Dury & Herbert) (OS Card Reference). SKE46516.

<3> Arch Cant extra vol 1907 108 "Testa Cant" (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE36363.

<4> Notice in St Mary's Church, Reading St., Tenterden (OS Card Reference). SKE47705.

<5> F1 ASP 01.03.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41855.

<6> Arch Cant 95 1979 307-8 (M C Lebon) (OS Card Reference). SKE36231.

<7> Timber & Brick Bldgs in Kent 1971 plate 25 (K Gravett) (OS Card Reference). SKE50564.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 92 NW 2 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4701.

<9> Cecily Lebon and Alec Miles, 1992, The excavations on the site of St Mary's church, Chapel Bank, Tenterden, with indications of the deserted medieval settlement of Ebony (Article in serial). SKE51731.

<10> Sir John Winnifrith (partial), 2012, The history of the Medieval Church of Ebony and coin spread from the Hogwell (Unpublished document). SKE53462.

Sources and further reading