Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1200 to 1873. St Mary's is a 12th century flint built church with the south aisle, transept and chancel added in the 13th century. Some refenestration took place in the 15th century and major restoration in the 19th century. The fabric contains some Roman material. The octagonal base of a 15th century cross has survived in the churchyard.On documentary evidence, a palace of the Archbishop of Canterbury is known to have existed near the church. This record refers to the medieval church of St Mary's atTeynham, which is a listed building.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• BISHOPS PALACE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 700 AD?)
• MINSTER (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 700 AD)
• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds

• TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 96 SE 5:
[TQ 9660 6362] St. Mary's Church [NAT] (1) St. Mary's, Teynham, consists of nave with side aisles, north and south transept, chancel and west tower, which is flanked by western extensions of both aisles. Early 12th century. The church consisted originally of a simple nave and square-ended chancel. The existing arcades preserve the lines of the north and south walls and portions of the walls above these arcades may conceivably be of this early date. The chancel would occupy the present crossing, and the west wall would occupy the site of the present west wall, part of which may be original. Later 12th century. Aisles were added north and south forming arcades of three bays. 13th century. Extended chancel and transepts added to form a cruciform church, practically that which remains today. Tower added at west end between two early buttresses. Subsequent additions were chiefly in the nature of insertions. The fabric is constructed of a variety of materials, some pointing to Norman work. Some of the windows are originals. Outside is the base of an ancient churchyard cross, to which a shaft and head have recently been added. (2) A few Roman tiles probably collected from an earlier building are inserted in the walls of Teynham church of St. Mary's. It is of Early English and Perpendicular periods. [Full description.] (3) The church is at present in normal use. "A" TQ 9656 6364. An octagonal sided medieval cross base with the upper surface of flattened bell-shape. It stands upon a modern base and into it has been inserted a modern cross and shaft. GP/AO/59/221/4 Church from north. GP/AO/60/47/1 Cross from S.W. (4) Parish Church of St. Mary, Grade I, Conyer Road (south side). 13th century, re-fenestrated 15th century. Chancel restored 1873. Nave and aisles, transepts, chancel, west tower. (For full description see list.) (5) The Church of St. Mary has a chancel and transepts of Early English, c. 1190-1250, flint construction. The nave and west tower are Perpendicular, c. 1335-1530. (6) Kenulf, king of Mercia (AD 794-819), is said to have granted Teynham to Christchurch, Canterbury, after which ' a palace was built in close proxinity to the church. Archbishops Baldwin (1184-91), Hubert Walter, who died here (1193-1207), Langton (1207-29) and raynold (1313-28) in turn lived here. The fact that Archbishop Kilwardby received his pallium from the Pope at Teynham is recorded on a tablet in Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral.' (7) NGR TQ 966 636. St Mary's church is cruciform in plan, with a tower at the western end; the existing fabric is mostly 13th century in date. Near the entrance to the churchyard is a modern cross, standing on a late medieval (15th century) octagonal base with bell moulding. No trace of the Saxon or later medieval palace survives. (8) A number of fragments of Roman roof tiles were gathered from the churchyard along with numerous Medieval roof tile sherds in 1996. Sherds of Ipswich ware dating to 700-850 AD were also found in down wash soil from the spine of land leading to the church. No NGR given. (9)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 96 SE TEYNHAM CONYER ROAD (south side)
3/148 Church of St Mary 24.1.67 GV I
Parish church. C13, re-fenestrated C15. Chancel restored 1873. Nave and aisles, transepts, chancel, west tower. Flint and ragstone with plain tiled roofs. West tower in 2 stages with large offset projecting buttresses, string course, cornice and battlements, and Perpendicular 2 light belfry openings. Hollow chamfer and roll moulded west doorway. Chapel/vestries either side of tower, each with lancet window. North and south aisles each with 2 offset buttresses,lean-to roofs, and gabled C19 dormers in nave roof, 2 to south, 1 to north. Large transepts with paired lancet and quatrefoil windows to north and south, and 3 lancets on west wall, only the jambs of which remain in the north transept. Inserted C15 Perpendicular windows on eastern faces. Chancel with diagonal offset buttresses, and 3 lancets on north and south walls, large C15 Perpendicular east window, of 5 lights and 10 over and 6 in head of arch. Interior: nave with 2 bay arcades on octagonal piers with moulded caps and bases, roof of 4 crown posts. Chamfered arches with plain abaci to transepts. Aisles with lean-to roofs and chamfered arches to transepts. Transepts with roofs of 2 crown posts, each with door to (missing) rood screen across chancel. Deep reveals of lancets and quatrefoils, and evidence of complete rebuilding at least of north transept east wall to insert C15 windows. Chamfered chancel arch on octagonal responds. Panelled roof of 3 crown posts. Fittings: cusped piscina in chancel, simple piscina in south transept. Octagonal C17 pulpit and octagonal font. Organ gallery in nave on 4 banded piers with octagonal caps and cast iron spiral staircase. [see BOE, Kent, II Pg 478]. Listing NGR: TQ9642864160 (10)

Photographs (11-15)

Description from record TQ 96 NW 87:
Listed building : no additional information available

<1> OS 6" 1909 (OS Card Reference). SKE48324.

<2> Kent Archaeological Society, Archaeologia Cantiana, being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent vol 1 (1858)-, 1921 (F C Elliston Erwood), Volume Nos. 35, Page Nos. 145-156 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6334.

<3> A Saunter through Kent 1928 (C Igglesden), Volume Nos. 22, Page Nos. 39-44 (OS Card Reference). SKE32857.

<4> F1 ASP 16-JUL-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42135.

<5> DOE (HHR) Kent Boro of Swale 21 March 1985, Page Nos. 58 (OS Card Reference). SKE40582.

<6> The Buildings of England Most volumes held, North East and East Kent 1983 (J Newman ed N Pevsner), Page Nos. 474 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6338.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 96 SE 5 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4889.

<8> Teynham P.C.C. 1985 A Short Account of the Church of St Mary, Teynham (typescript) (OS Card Reference). SKE49853.

<9> Struth, P and Richmond, H MAR-1994 RCHME Field Investigation (OS Card Reference). SKE49691.

<10> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<10> RCHME: Anglo Saxon Monasteries in Kent, Essex and Greater London (Collection). SKE6500.

<11> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Pers. Comm. Paul Wilkinson to KCC, 1996. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<11> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11332.

<12> ST MARY'S CHURCH, TEYNHAM - FROM NORTH. (Photograph). SKE1433.

<13> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11334.

<14> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11335.

<15> ST MARY'S CHURCH AT TEYNHAM (Photograph). SKE1450.

Sources and further reading