Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Church St. Mary, of Westenhanger, is said to have stood a little west of the house [see TR 13 NW 3] between the drawbridge and the great barn which is reputed to have been built out of its ruins. The church, which was mentioned c.1291, was described as 'ecclesia desolata' and 'dilapidata' in the 17th century. The church at Westenhanger was pulled down when Henry VIII enclosed the adjoining lands to form Westenhanger Park. Of the church, not a trace remains.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Demolished 1560?, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1560 AD?)

Full description

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[TR 12263720] St. John's Chapel [NR] (site of). (1) The Church St. Mary, of Westenhanger, is said to have stood a little west of the house [see TR 13 NW 3] between the drawbridge and the great barn which is reputed to have been built out of its ruins. The church, which was mentioned c.1291, was described as 'ecclesia desolata' and 'dilapidata' in the 17th century. (2) References to the Church of St. Mary, Westenhanger, in 15th and 16th century wills. [The name applied by the O.S. is probably an error, and should probably be applied to the domestic chapel of the house. TR 13 NW 3]. (3) The church at Westenhanger was pulled down when Henry VIII enclosed the adjoining lands to form Westenhanger Park. (4) Of the church, not a trace remains. The tithe barn was not built out of the church ruins: it dates from the 14th century. (see TR 13 NW 3). No further information regarding the dedication was obtained, but it is probable that the O.S. published name refers to the domestic chapel within the manorhouse (q.v. TR 13 NW 3). (5)

Additional Info(7)

<1> OS 25" 1939 (OS Card Reference). SKE48267.

<2> Arch Cant 31 1915 82-91 (TS Frampton) (OS Card Reference). SKE35012.

<3> Arch Cant extra 1907 354 Testa Cant (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE36362.

<4> Trans RHS New Series 18 1904 125-6 (AD Cheney) (OS Card Reference). SKE50664.

<5> F1 ASP 07-DEC-1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE41978.

<6> Field report for monument TR 13 NW 2 - December, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5354.

<7> Archaeology South-East, 1998, Desk-Based Assessment and Walk-over of a site at Folkestone Racescourse, Westhanger (Unpublished document). SKE7403.

Sources and further reading