Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1067 to 1984. C11 or C12 Church with C13/C14/C16 & C18 additions with C19 & C20 resorations. Roughly coursed stone with weatherboarded bell turret.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 02 NW 2 :
[TR 0050 2772] St. Eanswith's Church [NAT] (1)
The church of St. Eanswitha, Brenzett, has a C12th chancel arch, a C13th north aisle and C14th work in the nave and chapel. (2)
In normal use. See GP/AO/63/126/4 : from E. (6)
Parish Church of St Eanswith, Grade II*, Brenzett. Late C11th or C12th, C13th, C14th, C16th and C18th, restored 1826, 1876, 1902 and 1984. (For full description see list). (4)

Dendrochronology dating of the tower frame. Date range of 1386-1395. (8)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 005 277 BRENZETT
6/3 Church of St. Eanswith 9.6.59 GV II*
Parish church. Late C11 or C12, C13, C14, C16 and C18, restored 1826, 1876, 1902 and 1984. Roughly coursed stone. North chapel of thin slabs of iron stone and sandstone. Weatherboarded bell turret. Plain tile roof, with wood shingles to spire. Nave with west bell turret, and with lean-to south chapel or aisle at west end. South porch. Small chancel. North chapel and north aisle. West turret: rectangular, with louvres to north and south. Splay-footed octagonal spirelet with weathervane. Nave: late C11 or C12, extended to west in C14, 2 west buttresses. Small chamfered rectangular light to gable. Chamfered 2-centred arched west window with hoodmould and Y tracery at least partly restored. Moulded 2-centred arched west doorway with broach stops. South-west aisle: C14 integral with west end of nave. Roof continuous with nave roof. Chamfered west lancet with trefoil-headed light. No other windows. South elevation nave: 2 buttresses. One window either side of porch, each 2-light in C14 style with name of churchwarden inscribed under hoodmould and date 1826. 4 projecting stone corbels just below wall-plate. South Porch stone, with plain gable and roughly chamfered 2-centred arched outer doorway. 9-light ovolo-moulded wood mullion frieze windows to east and west, with round- headed lights. Moulded wood cornice to inside with oak leaves carved on chamfer stops. Steeply cambered arch-braced tie beams at north and south ends. Chamfered inner doorway with broach stops, rebuilt with square head. Chancel: late C11 or C12, largely rebuilt in 1902. Herringbone stonework to base of south wall. Diagonal buttress. Gabled. 2-light C14 south window with renewed head and hoodmould. C19 or early C20 east window of 3 lights with intersecting tracery and hoodmould. North chapel: C13. Projects further north than north aisle. Gabled. 2-light east window with original jambs but restored Y tracery. Chamfered pointed-arched north window. North aisle: C13, extended to west by one bay in C14. Low, with lean-to roof and unbroken north wall. West wall continuous with nave, with chamfered, trefoil-headed west lancet. Dormer inserted at east end 1925. Interior: Structure: 3-bay north arcade to nave, all columns and piers now resting on low chamfered padstones. 2 east bays C13 with chamfered pointed arches, and piers with undercut moulded impost string and chamfer-stops to base. West bay has broad pointed double-chamfered arch; inner order springing from attached semi-octagonal columns with moulded capitals and chamfered-stopped, bases. Flanking outer order has no imposts, but cushioned chamfered-stops to bases. Similar arch opposite, to south. Chancel arch pointed, chamfered to east and double-chamfered to west, added above probably re-set Norman jambs with zig-zag moulding to outer order. Plain south and west arches to north chapel, dying into walls. West tower: timber framed, probably of C14 origin, altered in C19 and reconstructed 1902; on rectangular frame with body of nave, with 4 arch- braced corner posts and two C19 or C20 intermediate supports, and with boarded floor at wall-plate level. Roar: C19 chancel and nave roofs, and C19 boarding to north and south aisles. Nave has moulded medieval cornice and two C16 tie-beams. Fittings: Stoup with cusped ogee head to south wall of north chapel. Small communion table with turned legs and rails. C18 pulpit with fielded panels. Veneered hexagonal tester now in south aisle. C18 reredos at east end of north chapel, painted to resemble stone, with fluted Doric pilasters and Ionic modillions to moulded cornice, Broken-based central pediment, bears Decalogue and Creed. 4 oval text boards to north wall of north aisle. Royal arms of 1780, north wall of nave. Stained glass to east window by Lavers, Barraud and Westlake, 1874. Traces of red and yellow paint on stonework. Monument: in north chapel to John Fagge d.1639, and John Fagge his son, d.1646, errected after 1646.Two reclining alabaster figures on white stone chest with black marble plinth, lid and panel. Side pilasters bearing coats of arms. (R.S. Sharman, A guide for the Parish and Church of Brenzett, 1972. J. Newman, Buildings of England Series, West Kent and the Weald, 1980). Listing NGR: TR0115829301 (9)

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

<2> Arch Cant 37 1025 207 (FC Elliston Erwood) (OS Card Reference). SKE35044.

<4> DOE (HHR) Dist of Shepway Kent April 1985 2-3 (OS Card Reference). SKE40351.

<5> A Guide for the Parish and Church of Brenzett 1972 (RS Sharman) (OS Card Reference). SKE32791.

<6> 1963, Field report for St Eanswith TR 02 NW 2 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5043.

<7> ST. EANSWITH'S CHURCH AT BRENZETT FROM EAST (Photograph). SKE2558.

<8> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 41, Pg. 103 (Website). SKE17391.

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

Sources and further reading