Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1200 to 1975 The church and churchyard: A very heavily over-restored church with all windows of the 19th century. However the west tower and east wall of the chancel are of the 13th century, and there are north and south aisles and chapels, probably of the 14th century. All the very fine arcades, and nave and north and south aisle roofs, are of an earth 16th century rebuilding. One of a group of churches with much nave rebuilding in the years just before the Reformation. Westerham was one of the earliest minsters founded in Kent before 700.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (CHURCH, Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD to 2050 AD)
• SITE (Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD to 1975 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1.
5280 WESTERHAM WESTERHAM
The Green
(North Side)
Church of St Mary the Virgin
TQ 4454
35/1368
10.9.54. II*
2.
Nave and aisles continuous with chancel and aisles. West tower. Modern vestry at north-west corner. Aisles very wide. Sandstone rubble walls. Shingled spire on tower. Originally C13 and some stonework remaining but mostly of different times in C14. C15 timber roof. Windows restored in C19. Perpendicular font. Several C16 small brasses and various C17 and C18 memorial tablets.
Listing NGR: TQ4475954083 (1)

Description from record TQ 45 SW 31 :
[TQ 4475 5408] St Mary's Church [N.A.T.] (2) The Church of St Mary, Westerham, is mainly Perpendicular except for the tower walls which are Early English. The church was drastically restored in 1882/3. (3) In normal use. (4) 5280 WESTERHAM WESTERHAM The Green (North Side) Church of St Mary the Virgin TQ 4454 35/1368 10.9.54 2. Nave and aisles continuous with chancel and aisles. West tower. Modern vestry at north-west corner. Aisles very wide. Sandstone rubble walls. Shingled spire on tower. Originally C13 and some stonework remaining but mostly of different times in C14. C15 timber roof. Windows restored in C19. Perpendicular font. Several C16 small brasses and various C17 and C18 memorial tablets. (5) Royal Arms of Edward VI - the only arms of this reign and so, but for Rushbrooke in Suffolk (TQ 86 SE 78) the earliest of all to survive in England. Depicts a few early Renaissance details typical of the period (1547-53). Every window is harshly and pendantically renewed. Tenlon made 'alterations' in 1854. Another restoration in 1882. (6) Additional bibliography - not consulted. (7-10)

In 2013 English Heritage undertook a dendochronological analysis of the oak boards of the Royal Coat of Arms for Edward VI from the Church in an attempt to verify its date precisely. It was concluded the wood used in the boards was used after AD 1541 but before c. AD1573. This supports its attribution to the reign of Edward VI whereas most surviving coats of arms date from James I or later. (11)

<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<2> OS 25" 1896 (OS Card Reference). SKE48253.

<3> Kent 1935, p.296 (S.C.Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE45703.

<4> F1 ASP 21-DEC-62 (OS Card Reference). SKE42218.

<5> DOE(HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks RD Kent 1975 359 (OS Card Reference). SKE41027.

<6> Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 594-595 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38022.

<7> Parish Ch of St Mary the Virgin Westerham 1951 (JA Castle) (OS Card Reference). SKE48486.

<8> Notes on the Ancient Parish Ch of Westerham nd (OS Card Reference). SKE47700.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 45 SW 31 - December, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2688.

<10> Diocese of Rochester (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1994, Westerham, St Mary:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29533.

<11> English Heritage, 2013, Royal Coat of Arms for Edward VI, From The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Westerham, Kent: Dendochronological Analysis of Oak Boards (Digital archive). SKE31190.

Sources and further reading