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Monument details

Summary

All Saints' Church (Saxon and Md) Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1899. A church built in the 14th century possibly incorporating a pre Conquest church. The walls of the chancel contain some Pre-Conquest masonry, but the building, which only consists of the chancel and nave, is largely 14th century, the interior restored in the 19th century. Additions were carried out in 1676. The interior was restored in the 19th century.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Modern - 1000 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TR 1922 6107] All Saints' Church [NAT] (1) The Church of All Saints, Westbere, is largely C14th, but the chancel walls contain some pre-Conquest masonry. (2) In normal use. (3) Church of All Saints, Church Lane, Westbere. Grade I. Built of flint with stone dressings with chancel of puddingstone. Chancel. Tiled roofand nave with gable at its W end containing triple arched bellcote. The walls of the chancel contain some pre-Conquest masonry, but the building is largely C14, the interior restored in the C19. The W door has the date 1673 and the initials W E C W on it. C14 chancel arch with finely sculpted caryatid corbels. Piscina and triple enbattled sedilia. (4) Additional bibliography. (5)(6)

It is possible that the core of the walls of this simple two-celled church date from the 12th or 13th century, but everything about the fabric suggest that it was totally rebuilt in the early 14th century. The origins of this church are obscure, but there is no doubt that Westbere parish was cut out of the much larger and older manor of Chislet. It seems likely, therefore, that Westbere was originally a chapel to Chislet. Halfway along the south side of the chancel, there is a break in the external facing with coursed whole flints and Thanet-Beds sandstone to the west, and iron-cemented gravel stone (the so-called 'Puddingstone') to the east. This may show two phases of construction, with originally a shorter chancel.

All surviving architectural details; of this fine church date from the early 14th century, and it seems likely that it was rebuilt at this time by St. Augustine's Abbey as a new church. (The abbey itself was doing much rebuilding at this time, and the Fyndon or Great Gate is a good surviving example of this work).

The two-light windows on either side of the nave and chancel are all fine examples of Decorated tracery and they have the additional feature of internal and external hood-moulds which end in finely carved heads (there is quite a lot of external restoration). The church is now entered through a west doorway, but there were originally doors on the north and south sides of the nave as well (for processions). The south doorway had a timber-framed porch outside it until the 19th century restorations, and it is possible that there was also a north porch (as evidenced by the corbels on either side of the blocked doorway). The north-east vestry appears to be an original (early 14th century) feature, though its upper quoins suggest a slight heightening of the walls in the 19th century (of Bath stone - the originals are in Ragstone). There is a trefoil-headed lancet on the east, and there is an early 14th century doorway into the chancel. The east and west windows of the church also have fine three-light Decorated tracery. The curvilinear
tracery in the west window is particularly striking. There is also a small (now-blocked) doorway into the north side of the chancel at the west end.

Inside the chancel, on the south side, is a very fine triple sedilia with arm-rests and embattled tops. The eastern seat is more elaborate and cuts deeper into the wall. Just beyond it is a fine contemporary piscina with an ogee head, and small hood-steps. The sedilia can be compared with other fine sedilia put into St. Augustine's Abbey's churches, including the nearby Chislet, and Snave and Willesborough churches. The finest surviving early 14th century features, however, are the two superbly carved supports to the capitals for the chancel arch. They are still in perfect condition.

Over the west end of the nave there was a wooden turret with two bells in it, until removed in 1853.

There are a fine pair of late 17th century west doors, inscribed W.E./C.W. ANNO/1673.

During the 19th century there were no less than three restoration campaigns. The first in 1853 included the making of a new triple bell-cote over the west gable (3 new Whitechapel bells were provided). Then in 1859 repewing took place and 54 additional seats were created. Finally in 1884-5, 14 more seats were provided, and a new organ was put in. Externally the nave has been completely refaced in heavy knapped flintwork, much repair was done in Bath stone. There is also quite a lot of pebble-dashed render at the east end. (7)

Description from record TR 16 SE 173:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5273 WESTBERE CHURCH LANE
Church of All Saints TR 1961 33/654 30.1.67
I
2. Built of flint with stone dressings with chancel of puddingtone. Chancel. Tiled roof and nave with gable at its west end containing triple arched bellcote. The walls of the chancel contain some Pre-Conquest masonry, but the building is largely C14, the interior restored in the C19. The west door has the date 1673 and the initials W E C W on it. C14 chancel arch with finely sculpted caryatid corbels. Piscina and triple enbattled sedilia. Some good Cl7 and C18 wall monuments. The churchyard contains some oval bodystones and some C18 headstones with cherub or skull motif and a chest tomb. Listing NGR: TR1922361073 (8)

Description from record TR 16 SE 93:
Listed building : no additional information available

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

<2> MHLG (1953/11/A 1960) 67 (OS Card Reference). SKE46942.

<3> F1 ASP 15-NOV-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42128.

<4> DOE(HHR) Dist of City of Canterbury Kent Mar 1980 226 (OS Card Reference). SKE40909.

<5> BOE(NE and E Kent 1983 490 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38279.

<6> Field report for monument TR 16 SE 13 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5562.

<7> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1994, Westbere, All Saints:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29532.

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

Sources and further reading