Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1899. St James's Ch GII*

Monument Types

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

Full description

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Description from record TR 05 NW 8:
[TR 0113 5686] St. James's Church [NAT] (1) The Church of St. James, Sheldwich, contains Norman, 14th and 15th century work. (2) In normal use. (3) St. James's Church, Sheldwich has a Norman nave, originally aisleless.In the mid 14th century the chancel was rebuilt on a generous scale, anorth chapel added and the rest re-modelled. (4) Parish Church of St. James, Grade II*, Ashford Road. 12th century; chancel and chapel 14th century; 15th century tower. Restored and north aisle and south chapel added 1888 by St. Aubyn, south porch 1899. (For full description see list). (5)

St James' C14 chancel and chapel. Aisles restored 1888 and C14 window discovered(unique in Kent) with mouchete wheel in triangular outline.Perpendicular W tower. (7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 05 NW SHELDWICH ASHFORD ROAD (east side) 1/50 Church of St James 24.1.67 GV II*
Parish church. C12, chancel and chapel C14, C15 west tower; restored and north aisle and south chapel added 1888 by St Aubyn, south porch 1899. Flint with plain tiled nave roof and slated chancel roof. Chancel and north chapel, nave with north aisle and south chapel, south porch and west tower. Three stage tower on plinth with string courses and battlements and diagonal buttresses offset 3 times. South-eastern stair turret with square lower stage rising to octagonal upper storeys with a spirelet. C15 Perpendicular traceried windows and 3 light western window in 4 centred arched surround. Western doorway with roll mould and hollow chamfer and roll moulded hood. Half-timbered and glazed south porch, and C12 south doorway, round arched on imposts, with external holy water stoup. Nave south wall with exposed jambs of C12 Romanesque window cut by C14 fenestration. South chapel nearly free-standing, buttressed and now totally C19. Chancel walls brought up higher than nave, with low-pitched slated roof. C14 fenestration except C19 Perpendicular style east window. North aisle with reset C14 east window, otherwise C19. C14 window in nave eastgable a mouchette wheel in triangular surround, the tracery bars decorated with bead ornament. Interior: hollow chamfered tower arch and surround on attached piers with octagonal capitals. Hollow chamfered stair door to south- west. Exposed jambs of C12 windows in north and south nave walls. Three bay north arcade to St Aubyn's Decorated style north aisle. Nave roof of 4 crown posts, the end 2 raised. Two bay triple chamfered arcade on central octagonal piers with attached columns to south chapel. Double chamfered chancel arch. Double chamfered arch to north chapel. Roof of 3 crown posts with embattled wall plate. Fittings: moulded piscina in chancel and cusped ogee headed piscina in north chapel.C18 box pews with raised and fielded panels in south chapel. Monuments: wall monument in chancel to Lewis Watkin, Baron Sondes, d.1836. White marble on black background with draped sarcophagus and scalpped achievement, signed Longley, Canterbury. Late C19 ogee headed wall niche to Munn family in south chapel. Brasses: Sir Richard atteLees d.1394 (and Lady Dionisia). Knight and Lady under double canopy. Large figures (43") in large composition with inscribed surround in north chapel. John and Isabel Cely d.1426. Knight and Lady, 32", he with winged hand in benediction behind his head. Joan Mareys, d.1431. Foot long half-figure rising from shroud, and holding a large heart. Stained glass: Thomas Willement, c.1850 in the north aisle, c.1856 in the south aisle. (See B.U.E. Kent II, 1983, 459-460; Igglesden vol.22.)
Listing NGR: TR0106356852 (8)

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

<2> MHLG (240A/11/A Nov 1960) (OS Card Reference). SKE47025.

<3> F1 ASP 24-MAY-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42266.

<4> The Buildings of England (ed N Pevsner) NE and E Kent 1983 458-60 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50171.

<5> DOE (HHR) Swale Boro Kent Nov 1986 22 (OS Card Reference). SKE40636.

<6> Field report for monument TR 05 NW 8 - May, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5203.

<7> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<8> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading