Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1899.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
• CHURCH (CHURCH, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• INHUMATION (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
ST NICHOLAS AT WADE THE STREET TR 26 NE (north side) 1/107 Church of St Nicholas 11-10-63 GV I Parish Church. C12, enlarged c.1200, remodelled early C14 and C15, restored 1876 (£1000) by Ewan Christian. Flint and ragstone with plain tiled roof. Chancel with chapels, nave and aisles, south west tower and south porch. Three stage tower of knapped and coursed with flints,under- cut string courses, offset angle buttresses to the top and south western stair turret, rising to an octagonal top stage. The jambs of an unexecuted window in the tower. West nave window restored late C20 to exact copy of original, 3 light with trefoils, and ogee quatrefoil amid intersecting tracery. Two light C14 window south tower wall, with cinquefoiled heads and cusped ogee head. The tower, by same hand as Herne Church (a chapelry of Reculver until 1310 like St Nicholas). Restored C14 porch with rib and stud door in hollow chamfered and wave moulded door surround. Nave and aisles separately roofed, both with battlements, with plinth and string course to aisles, the north aisle with offset buttresses. C15 2 light windows. Chancel and chapels with separate gabled roofs, originally with lancet windows, 1 survives in south chapel, and jambs of 3 light east window, replaced by C14 and C15 fenestration, 5 light East window with intersecting tracery, mouchettes, arched transoms and hood mould. Two chamfered arches below East window, possibly originally to crypt. Interior: tower, hollow chamfered ribs springing for unexecuted vaulting resting on heads and crouching animals, complex mouldings on arches of nave and south aisle, with roll and hollow mouldings and continuous intermediate moulding. Octagonal responds with chamfered bases and moulded capitals. Nave with C14 north arcade of 5 double chamfered arches on octagonal piers with moulded bases and capitals. Four bay south arcade, the western arch a cramped version of north arcade, the other 3 bays of c.1200, round arched piers and eastern responds. Angle rolls, the eastern arch with dogtooth and archlets and crocketed capital (influenced by Canterbury Cathedral) and spurred base. The other two capitals with carved heads (Green Man motif). Roof partly of king post construction partly C18 boarded roof. Blocked rood door half to south arcade, half to nave east wall. Early C13 chancel arch with beaded roll moulded arch on square responds with nook shaft and square abaci included bell capitals of shafts. Lean-to aisles, with C14 chamfered arch to south chapel, and C12 arch to north chapel. North chapel east window reveal brought down to ground level, strutted king post roof. South chapel with string course and roof of 3 crown posts. Chancel with 2 bay north arcade c.1200 with round pier with scalloped capital, and unmoulded pointed arches, and single contemporary arch to south chapel on simple imposts with embattled wall plate, tie beams and strutted collar beams. Fittings: triple sedilia in chancel, with simple chamfered elliptical head. Cusped and moulded piscina, hollow piscina with undercut hood in south chapel and small round headed piscina in north chapel. Three bay ogee-traceried screens to north and south chapels. Altar made from table c.1600 with bulbous cup and covet legs.Pulpit on stem,enriched 2 tier panels, the upper arcaded. Backboard with enriched arched panel in grooved architectural surround with cornice and enriched frieze and side brackets. Central cartouche with date and initials: 1615 IS:EE Chandelier with feathered plaster ceiling rose, crown and mitre attached to chain. Brass chandelier of 2 tiers of 8 branches over 10. Inscribed "The gift of Mrs Elizabeth Hannis 1757 - Wm. Gyler Fecit". Ladder stair to upper room over porch in south aisle. Glass: east window, 1912, T.F. Curtis (of Ward and Hughes). Brasses: in north chapel. Valontyne Edvarod, d. 1559. Figures of Valontyne, his wives Joane and Agnes, a second husband of 1 of them, and several children. 19in. main figures. Partly palimpsestof C14 brass of Knight. Monuments: Margaret Willoughby d.1627 (north chapel), black and white marble wall tablet with protruding bosses and cornice. Elizabeth Dear, d.1721 (chancel). Grey marble wall tablet, bolection moulded panel with coved and gadrooned base with winged cherub. Scrolled Ionic pilasters and broken segmental pediment. Edward Hannis d.l750 (north aisle). White and yellow marble wall monument, with crossed palms (?) on bracketed, base scrolled plaque with scrolled pedimented crest with putto bearing portrait medallion. Napleton family (up to 1755). Brown and white marble wall monument, with obelisk-shaped background, enriched bracketed base with cartouche, and scrolled plaque, scrolled pediment and gadrooned urn. Both these last monuments by the same hand and of very high quality. Edward Bridges, d.1759 (north chapel). Tomb chest, black and white marble with black table slab with gadrooned, moulded and enriched corner piers. Thomas Bridges d.1777 (nave). White and coloured marble wall tablet, on enriched bracketed base. Winged cherubs, cornice with urn finials and garlanded achievement. Several other early C19 wall monuments, notably by Longley of Canterbury, some of quality. Arms of George III and charityboards dated 1772 by south door. (See BOE Kent II, 1983, 437-8).
Listing NGR: TR2662266612 (9)

Description from record TR 26 NE 5:
[TR 2650 6670] Church [NAT] (1) The Church of St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas at Wade, is Norman and later.(2) In normal use. (3) Parish Church of St. Nicholas, Grade I, The Street. 12th century, enlarged c. 1200, remodelled early 14th and 15th centuries, restored 1876. (For full description see list.) (4)(5) Additional bibliography. (6)(7)

A watching brief in 2002 by Canterbury Archaeological Trust on a new sewer installed across the churchyard revealed two post medieval children's graves, one 5-10 years old, the other 1-3 years old. They were removed for later reburial. A hole cut through the aisle as part of these works revealed that a 19th century floor appears to have truncated earlier layers. (10)

<1> O S 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE47762.

<2> M H L G (2067/11/A Sept 1960) 40 (OS Card Reference). SKE46218.

<3> F1 ASP 27-SEP-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42321.

<4> DOE (HHR) Dist of Thanet, Kent Oct 1986, 45-46 (OS Card Reference). SKE40366.

<5> B O E North East and East Kent 1983, 437-439 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37431.

<6> Arch Cant 12, 1878, 19-26, illust (J Clarke) (OS Card Reference). SKE34674.

<7> Isle of Thanet Arch Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988, Record No 293 (OS Card Reference). SKE44720.

<8> Field report for monument TR 26 NE 5 - September, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5805.

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

<10> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2002, Archaeological Watching Brief At St. Nicholas-at-Wade Church, St. Nicholas-at-Wade, Thanet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE16868.

<11> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1993, St Nicholas at Wade, St Nicholas:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29499.

Sources and further reading