Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 450 to 1899. Church originally Saxon in date with later additions including the west tower which was constructed 950-1100. Thirteenth century additions include the west doorway, the north chantry and chancel. The south aisle was built in the 14th century. The north wall of the nave was demolished in 1873. The church is constructed of stone rubble with a tiled roof.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Modern - 450 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds

• HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1300 AD)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1300 AD to 1400 AD)
• THIMBLE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 13 NE 18 :
(TR 18933648) St. Martin's Church (NAT) (1) St Martin's Church, Cherition. A small west tower, probably pre-Norman, and certainly erected before the end of the eleventh century (3). The present west doorway is of 13th century date, but traces of the tall narrow doorway that was once the west entrance to the pre-Conquest church are still visible. The north chantry and chancel are of 13th century date. The south aisle was built in the 14th century, and the north wall of the nave was pulled down in 1873. (2,3) In normal use. (4) St Martin's Church, Cheriton. Perched on one side of a valley running down to the sea. In the 19th century, before house crept into the view, it must have been a glorious spot. Ragstone church. Saxon remains at the west end, immediately recognizable inside in the tower doorway and the double-splayed window high up above it, both crudely turned with small slabs of stone. Stumps of the north and south walls of an aisleless nave. The abnormally lean tower which outside looks Early English is in its lower parts also Saxon, and the outline of the original west doorway with a 13th century one set within it, can easily be made out Dr and Mrs Taylor suggest that it may be a Saxon porch, heightened. 13th century chancel, high where the ground slopes away, and rather narrow. Internally both the height and the tunnel-like narrowness are emphasized by skying the lancets above wall arcading, six arches each side, richly moulded on Bethersden marble shafts. A keeled roll outlines the lancets, the east pair shafted. Almond-shaped east window above. No piscina orsedilia, the sanctuary only marked by the arcading taking a step up. The modern arches on the east wall have fortunately been covered up. 13th century chancel arch not part of this rich scheme. Similar plain arch to a north chapel. 14th century south aisle with standard arcade. (5) Church at Cheriton. The present tower is built up against the original west wall of the Saxon church. The tall narrow doorway forming the west entrance to the Saxon building still remains, and above it is the remains of a round headed and double splayed window. (6) TR 189366. St Martin's church Cheriton. Built mainly of brown ironstone rubble, it now consists of a buttressd west tower; a nave with 14th century south aisle wide modern north aisle, and north porch; and an aisleless chancel built on land that falls away steeply to the east, so that the east end of the chancel has a tall lower storey beneath it. The main fabric of the chancel is Norman, but it has fine, Early English, blind arcading right round its interior walls. Generally, the church is heavily plastered inside. The original doorway was built of the same rough rubble construction as the main walling. A smaller, round-headed doorway was later built within the western part of the original opening, to provide for the hanging of the present door.

H.M. Taylor points out that the west end of the nave almost certainly retains late Anglo-Saxon masonry with an original round-headed west doorway and above it a double-splayed window. He also suggests that the lower masonry of the west tower may originate as a contemporary west porch/annexe. The Anglo-Saxon date of the west end of the church was first suggested by Canon Scott Robertson, in 1889, and his account of the church is still the standard one. It does seem very likely that the west wall of the nave with its simple round-headed doorway and double-splayed window above is indeed late Anglo-Saxon in date as it is entirely made with Ragstone rubble and no early Norman features are visible. The east face of the exposed masonry have unfortunately, been whitewashed, but the west face in the tower (and ringing chamber above) is well-exposed, and shows areas of probable original external wall-plaster. The head of the A-S window was probably made with a wattle `centring’, as has been found in other A-S churches. The north, south and west walls of the tower, even at the bottom, appear to exhibit no A-S work (pace H.M. Taylor), and certainly abut against the west wall of the nave. The whole tower, with its diagonal buttresses, must be of c. 1300.

No other evidence survives about ground of any pre-13th century work, and it is not possible at this stage to know where either the east end of the original nave or sanctuary were situated, though it is possible that the original nave was the same length as the present nave.

In the mid-13th century the present large chancel was built on a projecting `podium’ which runs down the steep hillside to the east. Externally the Ragstone rubble masonry and side-alternate quoins are in mostly very good condition. There are just two east-facing pilasters on the east wall and a simple roll-moulding all the way around the middle of the wall below the plain lancet windows. On the north-west side of the chancel is an original doorway (blocked with ragstone rubble), with another doorway (or window) opposite it on the south. This is also blocked and the jambs etc. have been removed. There is also some bulging in the chancel south wall. Inside the chancel, which was heavily restored in 1873-8, there is much more architectural decoration. The pair of east lancets (with vesica-shaped window in the gable above) are heavily moulded with engaged shafts in the jambs, while there is a continuous moulding around the six lancets (three either side) in the north and south walls. Below these side lancets, is an unusual wall arcade on a bench, which continues the full length of the north and south walls (for six bays). The bottom of the last two bays on the east step up - no doubt to reflect the steps up to the dias of the altar platform. (The arcade reredos of the east wall is entirely of the 1870s). The shafts, capitals and bases of the arcades were all heavily restored in the 1870s, with most of the shafts being replacements in Victorian marble. The original blocks and shafts were probably made of large Paludina limestone (`Bethersden marble’), while the capitals and bases were perhaps of Caen stone. The chancel arch is also of the 13th century with bar-stoped chamfers in the side jambs on both the east and west arises. The circular opening over the chancel arch was restored in the 19th century. It is possible that this chancel arch ws built just before the chancel itself, as it does not quite matched in. Immediately south of the chancel arch, in the north corner of the south aisle is a vertical filletted moulding for a 13th century east window, showing that there was already a south aisle or south chapel (with the altar of St Katherine) here in the 13th century.

The north, or Enbrook, chapel was perhaps first built at the very end of the 13th century as a Lady Chapel. There is a plain wide pointed arch from the north-east side of the nave, and the east window is probably late 13th century. It contains a panel of stained glass (of the Trinity) in its top quatrefoil light. The two-light north window is heavily restored, and externally the chapel has slightly battered plinths on the north and east (down the hill). There is also a south-east squint into the chancel. In the north wall of this chapel are two large 14th century tomb niches, still containing fine but battered effigies. They were restored to their present position in 1842, and are assumed to be late 14th century members of the Enbrook family (Enbrook was about ½ mile east of the church), who took over the Lady Chapel as a manorial chapel.

The west tower, with its two diagonal buttresses, is very plain. It was probably built in c. 1300, and has simple late lancets in all four faces of the bell-chamber (square headed inside), and a crenellated parapet above (rebuilt in the 19th century). The west doorway, with its relieving arch above, has also been restored, as has the small round-headed window above it. The inside of the tower was completely rebuilt in 1881, when the six bells were recast and rehung. The frame was again restored and supported on new concrete beams in 1963 and this time a new narrow doorway was cut through the tower south wall. The south aisle was built in the early 14th century, replacing an earlier chapel. A new 3 bay arcade to the nave was made as well as a new outer wall with 3x2 light windows in it, and all was under a separate double pitched roof. There is also an ogee-headed piscina and 2 sedilia also with ogeed heads. Immediately west of this is a fine 14th century figure (perhaps a female member of the Caseborne family) in a wall-niche (reopened in 1842), and further west is a blocked doorway (seen externally) into the south aisle. It was probably opposite the north doorway into the nave (and porch), that was destroyed in 1873. The west end of the south aisle was completely rebuilt in 1873 when a vestry was added to it. It now contains the organ, moved here in 1973 from the north chapel. The pulpit was rebuilt in 1967 (with concrete steps) using panels from the late medieval font cover. The north aisle and porch (and `baptistery’) were all added in 1873-7 when 54 new seats were created in the church. All the roofs were also replaced at this time, and the whole building was restored and repewed. The new rood screen was added in 1925. (10)

Samuel Plimsoll is buried in the churchyard.

In 1996 work against the south wall of the chancel exposed a 19th century burial that had disturbed earlier medieval burials. A child's skeleton was found to have been disturbed by the construction of the chancel, and so must pre-date the 13th century. A sherd of 14th century Wealden Ware pottery and a 16th century copper alloy thimble were also found. (11)

A watching brief in 2007 during groundworks for new service facilities adjacent to the north porch uncovered two coffined burials. Their eastern end had been destroyed by the foundations of the porch (dated to 1873). A gravestone standing over the burials may relate to them and was dedicated to William and Margaret Baker, William having died in 1812. The burials were below the level of disturbance for the new facilities so the graves were left in situ. (12)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
The entry for the following building:-
TR 13 NE HORN STREET CHERITON 13/29 Church of St Martin B
shall be amended to read:-
TR 13 NE HORN STREET CHERITON 13/29 Church of St Martin - 5.12.74 1
Parish church. Saxon west end of nave and lower part of tower, C13 chancel, C14 upper part of tower, south aisle and Enbrook chapel and C19 north aisle, north porch and vestry. Kentish ragstone rubble with tiled roof West tower, north porch, nave with aisles and north chapel, south west vestry and lower chancel. West end of nave is Saxon with arched. original doorcase in which the later and smaller C13 doorcase has been set. Round-headed window above. Upper stage of tower is C14 with crenellated parapet and lancets with wooden shutters to bell stage. Angled buttresses. C14 north aisle has four C14 trefoil windows with quatrefoil windows above. Gabled north porch has arched doorcase with colonnettes with foliate capitals and corner buttresses. Enbrook chapel has one double trefoliated window with quatrefoil above. C19 south aisle has 3 double trefoliated windows with quatrefoil above and paired lancer to north east and 3 buttresses. C19 vestry has one trefoil-headed lancet on each face and ashlar chimney. C13 chancel has 3 lancets and blocked round-headed doorcase to north. East end has oval window to gable with 2 lancets below and buttresses. Interior has C14 arcade on octagonal piers to south aisle and Decorated piscina and two sedilia. East window of north aisle has C14 quatrefoil. Chancel has arcading with Bethersden marble shafts. A keeled roll outlines the lancets, the east pair shafted. C13 chancel arch. Three C14-stone effigies under stone arches, to a woman in the south aisle and to a man and a woman behind the organ. Brass to priest, John Child d1474, Thomas Fogg d1502 and John Brodnax d1592. Hanging monument to Louisa Wainewright d1828 of a man and woman mourning by an urn. ["BOE Kent" pp270-1.]
1. 5281 HORN STREET CHERITON Church of St Martin TR 13 NE 13/29 5.12.74 B 2. Built of stone rubble with tiled roof. The western wall of the Nave is Saxon, the Chancel is Cl3 the tower, South aisle and Enbrook Chapel are Cl4 and the North aisle is Cl9. 4 bay Nave and 3 bury apse with lancets. North West crenellated tower with gargoyle C19 South porch.
Listing NGR: TR1905036532 (13)

Historic England archive material: AL2400/119/02 View of St Martin's Church, Cheriton, from the south-west BF052988 ST MARTINS CHURCH, FOLKESTONE File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate.

<1> OS 25" 1958 (OS Card Reference). SKE48274.

<2> Arts in Early Eng 2 1925 448 (G B Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE37358.

<3> Arch Cant 18 1889 353-68 (W A S Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34776.

<4> F1 ASP 17.05.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42143.

<5> Bldgs of Eng NE & E Kent 1983 270-271 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37756.

<6> Arch of Kent 1930 243 (R F Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE36900.

<7> AS Archit 1 1965 155-156 3 1978 768 800 832 839 866 959 1006-7 (H M Taylor & J Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE37369.

<8> DOE(HHR) Dist of Shepway Kent 11 Mar 1975 47 (OS Card Reference). SKE41049.

<9> Field report for monument TR 13 NE 18 - May, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5342.

<11> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1996, The Parish Church of St. Martin, Cheriton, Kent: Archaeological evaluation August 1996 (Unpublished document). SKE17326.

<12> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2009, Archaeological watching brief at St Martin's Church, Horn Street, Cheriton, Shepway (Unpublished document). SKE16935.

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

Sources and further reading