Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

St Michael and All Angels Church. Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1066 to 1899

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1899 AD)

Full description

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[TR 13185814] St Michael's Church [NAT]. (1) Church of St Michael, Harbledown. The north aisle was the medieval church until 1880-1 when it was largely rebuilt and the remainder of the church added. (2) In normal use. (3) Church of St Michael, Church Hill. Grade II. Traces of Norman and decorated work but mainly C19. (4)

Until 1825, there was only a simple nave and chancel. Then a 'north transept' was built. This was demolished when the architect, St. Aubyn built a new chancel and nave (and north porch) along the north side of the old chancel and nave in 1880-1.

The original nave is early Norman, with Quarr stone quoins on the south-west corner. Also Quarr stone voussoirs in round arch above door on S.W. side of nave. The original extent of the nave to the east is marked by a 'megalithic' block of ragstone 3/4s of the way along the south wall. The coursed whole flintwork of the west wall of the original nave is also early, and there is a blocked round-headed window in the upper gable wall (also ? Quarr stone quoins). Inside the church the remains of rere-arch of another round-headed window has been uncovered in the south wall of the nave, and Petrie's early 19th century drawing appears to show another on the north side. There is the remains of a possible piscina in the south wall near the east end of the original nave. Nearby the so-called 'stone of Mithras' is set into the wall (it was discovered in 1881 and is perhaps medieval).

The nave was lengthened eastwards and a new chancel was built perhaps in the 13th/14th century. Only the rere-arch of the east window is medieval. The other windows and the chancel arch were all totally restored in 1880-1. There is the remains of a medieval crown-post roof in the nave, and of a little timber bell-turret above the west-end of the nave (probably late medieval, but supported internally in the roof by 19th century timbers. It is weather-boarded, but Hasted describes it as shingled. It contains 4 bells: Hatch, 1603; Palmer, 1670; and Henry Jordan (1442-68) inscribed 'Sancte Katerina ora pro nobis'.

A west gallery and timber porch outside the west doorway are said to have been demolished in 1879. Also a 'Tudor' arch is said to have been replaced as the original chancel arch by the present one in 1881. In 1979 the original chancel was partitioned off behind the arch and become the vestry with a W.C. and upper room.

A new door was cut on the south-east. The north transept, built in 1825 in brick (with a slate roof and timber window-frames and a gallery), was cased in flint and stone in 1855. A new high tiled roof and gable was built, and the windows were replaced in stone. This was swept away in 1880-1, when the new larger nave and chancel were built, with an arcade of three arches to connect with the old church. An organ was installed in the old chancel (moved to the west end of the south aisle in 1979). (5)

Description from record TR 15 NW 1363:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5273 HARBLEDOWN CHURCH HILL (north side)
Church of St Michael TR 1358 31/363 30.1.67
II
2. Traces of Norman and decoarated work but mainly C19. Built of flint and stone. Tiled roof. Chancel, nave with south aisle and weatherboarded bell turret at the west end of the nave. The south aisle and liner chapel was the mediaeval church which was greatly restored, indeed largely rebuilt in 1880-1, when the remainder of the building was added. Nave and chancel by J P St Aubyn. Crown post roof. Pointed chamfered south and west doorways. The churchyard contains some C18 headstones with cherub or skull motif and some oval bodystones.
Listing NGR: TR1318858148 (6)

<1> OS 1/2500 1957 (OS Card Reference). SKE48127.

<2> MHLG (1953/11/A) Dec 1960 33 (OS Card Reference). SKE46963.

<3> F1 ASP 01-FEB-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE41866.

<4> DOE (HHR) Dist of City of Canterbury 1980 105 (OS Card Reference). SKE40213.

<5> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1991, Church Survey - St Michael and All Angels, Harbledown. (Unpublished document). SKE7612.

<6> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading