Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 700 to 1999 9th century church with Norman and later work

Monument Types

• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Modern - 700 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 86 NE 14:
[TQ 8600 6741] St. Margaret's Church [NAT] (1) St. Margaret's Church, Lower Haltow. A Romanesque structure, largely constructed of Roman bricks, existed upon the site. The south wall of the chancel, with its blocked semi-circular headed window, is part of that structure: probably either early 9th century or late 11th century. The nave appears to be early Norman and the north and south aisles were added c. 1150-60. Early in the 13th century the tower was erected at the west end of the south aisle, the north door inserted and the chancel arcaded internally. Many of the windows were replaced in the 14th and 16th centuries. See AO/58/59/5. (2) A small church built of flint rubble with Roman brick. The western part of the south wall of the chancel is 1.45ft. thick and has an old built-up light with its head carelessly turned in Roman brick and bungled at the crown: probably pre-Conquest; period C3 (= mid to late 11th century). (3) Additional references. (4)(5) Reused in the walls are vast quantities of Roman tiles and also massesof Roman masonry, as torn from their original setting. (6) In normal use. (7) Parish Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Grade I. 8th century, 12th century lean-to aisles and 13th century tower, remodelled 14th - 15th century, restored with new porch 1913 by W. D. Caroe. (For full description see list.) Church Guide, 1977, P.T. Robbins: Report to Parish by W. D. Caroe, 1913. (8)(9). Identified during 2002 survey (10). Site photographs (11-12).

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 86 NE LOWER HALSTOW SHEERNESS ROAD (north side)
2/5 Church of St. Margaret of Antioch 24.1.67 I
Parish church. C8, C12 lean-to aisles and C13 tower, remodelled C14 - C15, restored with new porch 1913 by W.D. Caroe. Chancel and nave with aisles, south-west tower and south porch. Flint, rubble stone and re-used Roman tiles, with plain tiled roof. Two stage south-west tower, with shingled broach spire and restored lancet window, built into Saxon nave, with restored 2-light curvilinear west windows. Pebble-dashed south porch by Caroe. Heavily restored Perpendicular windows in south aisle. Inset and stepped down chancel, with 3 offset buttresses remains of small round-headed window outlined in tiles, and courses of sloping tiles along base of walls, with 3 restored Perpendicular 2-light windows. East end with corner buttresses and restored Perpendicular 2-light window. North chancel wall with restored lancet, C20 vestry and saxon tile-work. North aisle with C20 buttresses, and C15/C16 champed round-headed lancet windows. Interior: Saxon nave, original window still in tower wall. Two bay late C12 arcade to aisles, large square piers with chamfered imposts, plain pointed arches, narrower, totally unmoulded and earlier to south. Nave and aisles under 1 roof, trussed rafter with lean-to aisles, C18 crown post sub- roof in north aisle. Chamfered chancel arch on -imposts, matching south arcade. Chancel with C13 three-bay blind arcading on north and south walls, with attached marble shafts with moulded caps and bases. C15 crown post roof of 3 bays. Fittings: mutilated piscina in chancel, and aumbrey in east wall. Early C17 hexagonal pulpit with tester. C18 box pews much altered by Caroe 1913. C18 chandelier suspender, heavily decorated wrought iron, the chandelier stolen. Font: Lead , c. 1190, bowl with arcade of 10 beaded and foliated arches with king and angel repeated under alternate arches., At time of resurvey removed for exhibition. Carried on Spurbeck marble shafts, at time of re-survey just with wooden font cover - square C17, with C16 ogee cap. Remnant wall paintings in nave and aisles, C14, representing St. Margaret, St. Andrew. Coronation of the Virgin. Also late medieval graffiti in south aisles, and some floor tiles at east end. Royal Coat of Arms of George III over chancel arch. (See BOE Kent II, 1983, 373-4; Church Guide, 1977, P.T. Robbins; Report to Parish by W. D. Caroe, 1913).
Listing NGR: TQ8676867356 (13)

Archive material (14)

<1> OS 6" 1908 (OS Card Reference). SKE48323.

<2> Arch Cant 33 1918 157-66 plan photos (E R Olive W D Caroe and W H A Vallence) (OS Card Reference). SKE35016.

<3> The Arts in Early England 2 1925 426 456 (G Baldwin Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE50094.

<4> Collectanea Cantiana 1893 68 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39218.

<5> Little Guide Kent 1935 178 (J C Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE46136.

<6> Arch 29 1842 226 (C Roach Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE34383.

<7> F1 CFW 10-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42513.

<8> DOE(HHR)Swale Borough Kent 27 Nov 1984 52 (OS Card Reference). SKE41404.

<9> Buildings of England NE and E Kent 1983 373-4 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38412.

<10> Wessex Archaeology, 2002, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Phase II: Field Assessment (Pilot) (Bibliographic reference). SWX11840.

<11> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9609.

<12> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10448.

<13> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<14> Historic England, Archive material associated with St Margaret of Antioch's Church, Lower Halstow, Listed Building (Archive). SKE54243.

Sources and further reading